Butternut Squash

Who knew a squash commonly used for decoration could be so darned versatile? Not me, that's for sure. Having my new found bravery for trying things I would normally avoid, I broke down and bought a butternut squash....yes just one, one seems to really go a long way, AND they are rather pricey at close to $3 for one squash. But after seeing Giada make a butternut squash soup and feeling the cool crispness in the air, I decided the soup sounded heavenly. I do believe it was the easiest thing I've ever cooked and ohhh so tasty. Here's the modified recipe from Giada from her show Giada at Home:

Butternut Squash Soup
2 tblsp unsalted butter
1 tblsp olive oil
1 butternut squash cut into cubes
Fresh sage chopped (about 1/4 c)
1 onion diced
2 carrots diced
3-4 cloves of garlic minced
6 cups of chicken stock (preferably homemade)
Splash of heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the butter and olive oil and add the onions and carrots. Cook until the carrots are tender. Add the squash and the garlic and cook for minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the sage and cook until the veggies are tender about 20-30 minutes. Add the cream, salt, and pepper (to taste) and cook for a few more minutes. Turn heat off and blend the veggies with either an immersion blender or food processor (in batches). I like to leave some of the veggies a little chunky just because I like it a little rustic, but if you want a smooth, pureed soup then by all means blend the heck out of it. Serve with crostini topped with the fresh sage, parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper and baked until browned.

If you used store-bought chicken stock, you may want to add other seasonings when you add the sage (basil, thyme, oregano, etc.).

Other things to do with butternut squash:
cut into cubes, top with grated ginger, butter, salt, pepper, olive oil, ground cloves, cinnamon, brown sugar and bake at 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes and serve.

Halloween 2009

Why is it that there's something barbaric, yet oddly satisfying about cooking an animal over an open fire in one's back yard? While I've never cooked one, I do love to eat of the meat. Enter Joe, our friend who dubbed himself a "Sow Chef" for his halloween costume. Joe cooked one at Susan's for Halloween, Sat night. The funniest part is that while discussing how to decorate for Halloween at her house I said, "We need scary stuff." Susan's reply, "My God, we have a dead pig over a fire in the back yard....how much scarier can you get?" Needless to say, the dead pig meat was incredible.