Fall Comfort Food...

I haven't blogged for several days now, I've been feeling a lot tired and under the weather (I think that saying "under the weather" must surely have been written about the general malaise a body feels with the departure of summer and seeing ahead to the oncoming six months of gloom without much sun...)

So..., to cheer myself up, I get busy in the kitchen..., and think about what to cook for the family that will be hearty, tasty and good for us.....( by the way..., the creepy crawlies on the squash are not real.. they are  characters I bring out at this time of year to put us in the mood for one of our favorite holidays... Halloween - more on that sooooooon!)

Fall Squash Soup

When the weather turns cool, it seems like soup making is a given...

Below is a recipe for Squash Soup, its tasty, warming, savory and put together in no time.

Ingredients

3 tbsp. Olive Oil ( or 3 tbsp. butter)

2 shallots

2 garlic cloves

1 medium apple, such as Granny Smith

1 large Squash (I used butternut) cut in half, seeded and

baked till tender and skin pulls away from flesh easily.

1 Cup of Apple Cider

8 cups of Vegetable or Chicken Broth

1 Teaspoon of Curry Powder

Salt & Pepper

Chop the shallots and garlic cloves, heat the olive oil in a heavy bottom pan and saute till transparent.

Peel, core and chop the apples and saute along with the shallots and garlic and cook till tender (about 5 minutes.)

Cut the baked squash into cubes and add to the pan, along with apple cider, broth and curry powder.

Simmer till the squash cubes have softened completely and melted into the broth ( approx. 20 minutes.) Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

At this point I take a hand blender (or carefully pour into my Vitamixer,) and blend till smooth and creamy.

To make it extra yummy, chop some sage into slivers and saute in butter or oil till crispy, or try chopped  turkey bacon, or a dollop of sour cream ( if your diet allows...).., crispy croutons.... mmmm you name the toppings..... and serve with hot, crispy garlic bread....mmmmmmmmm...

.... Voila!...., a pot of hot and tasty soup that comforts and satisfies...