Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

I know that this recipe, and actual any Dash of Calamity post, is long overdue.

So I now present to you my Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with picture and all.

This soup is not the healthiest or quickest, but boy is it good.

1 head garlic – roasted (step by step recipe with pictures coming soon)
1 large acorn squash
2-4 carrots – washed and large diced
1/2 stick of butter
1 large onion – diced
6-8 cups chicken stock
1/2 block cream cheese (You can use a whole block if you are feeling extra rich)
Salt/pepper to taste

1) Cut squash in half, then scoop out seeds and gunk.
A trick I have learned is to stab the squash a couple of times and microwave for a few minutes to make cutting it in half easier.

2) Toss carrots with some olive oil and S&P. Rub the cut side of the squash with olive oil as well.
Lay squash cut side down and spread carrots out on cooking sheet. I generally like to roast the garlic at this time as well.

3) Roast for about an hour, checking every once in a while to stir carrots.
The carrots will probably be done before the squash.

4) Melt butter in large pan & add diced onions.
Cook until the onions are translucent and just starting to brown.

5) Add in the roasted carrots, the squash scooped out of the skin, and 6-8 cups of the chicken stock. The amount of stock varies depending on how thick you want your soup and how large the squash was.

6) Let everything simmer for a few minutes and then blend until smooth.

7) Stir in the cream cheese and blend again to make super smooth.

8 ) Salt and pepper to taste.

9) It is great served by itself, or, as in the image above, topped with crispy bacon, pecan halves, and sautéed apple chunks. Yum!

Creamy Roasted Garlic Soup

Brett and I both decided that this garlic soup is one of our top 5 favorite soups. It has the perfect balance of creaminess and comfort, without being too heavy. The potato gives it that creaminess, without having to add a whole bunch of cream; though you can always add a splash or two for extra richness.

The first ingredient in the recipe is roasted garlic. For those of you who are not familiar with how to make amazing-ness that is roasted garlic, the recipe is included at the end. It is great for anything that calls for garlic, but gives it a much more mellow and deep flavor. Brett and I will often spread the roasted garlic cloves on bread, like butter.

Make sure to use some really good, fresh grated parmesan cheese (not the kind in a can). It really adds to the dish. Serve some crusty bread alongside the soup.

• 3-4 heads of garlic (so it is about 25 garlic cloves) – roasted*
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large onion thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2-3 heads of garlic (about 18 garlic cloves) – peeled
• 2 small or 1 large potato peeled and diced
• 4 cups chicken stock (vegetable can be used)
• dash of cream or 1/2 & 1/2
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 lemon wedges

Melt butter in a heavy, large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until the onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the raw garlic cloves and cook 3 more minutes.

Add chicken stock, potatoes, thyme and roasted garlic; cover and simmer until garlic is very tender, about 20 minutes.

Purée soup until smooth. Add in a splash of cream and bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve topped with parmesan and a squeeze of lemon juice.

* To roast garlic:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Removed the extra paper from head of garlic but not so much that it starts to come apart.

Cut off the tips of the garlic and place the garlic head in a baking dish and drizzle with some olive oil – make sure it gets into all the little cracks. Sprinkle with a bit of salt.

Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake until garlic is golden brown and tender, about 45 minutes. Cool.

Squeeze garlic between fingertips to release cloves.

The green soup

I could probably come up with some creative fancy name for this soup but I have kind of grown partial to “The Green Soup”, so that is what it shall remain.

This soup came about because I had a giant zucchini and a bag of spinach, which both needed to be used before they went bad. I thought I had seen recipes for a beautiful cold spinach zucchini soup, but in my searching could not find the one I was looking for. I found a number of similar soups that called for potatoes. I didn’t have any potatoes and the point was to use leftovers and not buy anything, so I decided to just create something new. I spent a while pondering what flavors I wanted the soup to have: a spicy flavor like the curry squash soup I have made before, an Italian flavor with mozzarella and parmesan, or a strong onion flavor like a French onion soup were some of my thoughts. I finally decided on a mix of Italian and onion.

The soup turned out a beautiful vibrant green color, and not being a vegetable person, I was pleasantly surprised by how much both Brett and I enjoyed it. It was even better reheated the next day for leftovers, though not nearly as pretty.

Here is what you will need

2T Olive oil
1 large onion sliced into thin half rings
2T minced garlic
1 really large (or a couple smaller) zucchini – cubed
4 Cups broth – I used chicken
3 Cups baby spinach – packed
1-2 Canned roasted red peppers if you have
1T Italian herbs

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and then add in onions. Cook until they are just starting to brown a bit.
Add in garlic and zucchini. Cook for a few minute until zucchini just starts to soft and get a bit of color.
Add broth and bring to a boil.
Boil until the zucchini is tender.
Stir in the last 3 ingredients and simmer for a few more minutes while the spinach wilts.
Using an immersion blender, or very carefully in an upright blender, blend the soup until everything is smooth and creamy.
If you like your soup thicker, you can put it back on the heat and let it condense a bit.

Serve topped with diced tomatoes and some parmesan or feta cheese.

French Onion Soup for people who dont like french onion soup

I never liked french onion soup until one day I tried making my own. It turned out surprisingly good and I even started to like the ones served in restaurants. When I married Brett I found out he didn’t like it either, but after trying my version he was a changed man. Now he requests it all the time. I don’t know what is different about my version but this is a french onion soup recipe for those who claim to not like french onion soup.

French Onion Soup
4 servings

3 T butter
2 large onions
cut into half-moon slices
2 cloves of garlic – minced
3 T flour
6 cups beef broth
dash of worcestershire sauce
baguette of bread – sliced and lightly toasted
some yummy cheese like provolone or swiss – shredded

1. Melt the butter in a large pan
2. Add in onions and cook over low heat stirring every once in a while until just turning golden
3. Stir in the garlic and sprinkle the flour over the top – stir everything and cook for 5 more minutes
4. Pour in 1 c broth stir until thickened a bit and then stir in the rest of the broth and worcestershire sauce.
5. Bring to a boil and let boil for about 15 minutes to reduce a bit and bring out more flavor – taste and season as needed.
6. Ladle the soup into oven safe bowls and top with a slice of bread or two. Pile on the cheese.
7. Broil in the oven for a few minutes – watching carefully – until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

The Verdict: If it can convert two people into liking and requesting French Onion Soup then I guess it is 10.

Calamity= 0 so far

Trader Joes… How I Love Thee!

After a visit to Trader Joes today, and a freezer full of organic goodness, I had been thinking all day about what I would cook for dinner.  Do you ever have those days where you can’t wait to get home and get cooking?  It’s happening to me more and more which I love (and so does my husband).

On tonight’s Menu was Chinese Chicken and Corn Soup with Trader Joe’s Vegetable Gyoza Potstickers.

The soup was quick and easy and the Potstickers cooked in the soup for the last 4 minutes, so altogether dinner was cooked, ready and delicious in 20 minutes.

Chinese Chicken and Corn Soup
Serves 4

6 cups of chicken stock
1 small chicken breast
1 can corn kernels
1 can creamed corn
*(I didn’t have any creamed corn in the cupboard so creamed my own… Impressive huh! I thought so)*
1 tbs cornstarch
2 tbs soy sauce
1 egg beaten
8 Vegetable Gyoza Potstickers
Spring onions to garnish

1. Bring the stock to the boil.
2. Add chicken breast to the stock, turn the heat off and cover for 15 minutes.
3. Remove chicken from the stock and leave to cool for a few minutes then shred.
4. Add corn to the stock and bring to the boil.
5. Combine soy sauce and corn starch into a paste then stir into the soup to thicken.
6. Add shredded chicken to soup.
7. Slowly pour the beaten egg into the soup while stirring with a fork.
8. Add Potstickers and let cook in the broth for 4-6 minutes.
9. Serve topped with the sliced spring onions.

The Verdict: Ready in no time and perfect for dinner on the couch on a cold night in.  A little salty this time round.

‘Loved the flavor and chunkiness of the chicken/corn combo’ – The Husband.

Calamity= 0