Good News

...I am going to share with you a few things that I love right now, and that will make your mouths, eyes, and ears happy. :)

First: I have a goal to make some new recipe or create something new each week (try a new recipe, make a craft, try a new piece on the piano...something like that). Last week I made:



Roasted Butternut Squash with fresh sage and then an apple parmesean salad.

I did this while watching something that made my ears and eyes happy, and should do the same for you:


BYU's Vocal Point on NBC's "The Sing Off"

Then a few day later I made my own variation of Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon...



..which one of a kind recipe I am going to share with you for some lovely, delicious, fall fanfare: :)

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon and Apple--a Tawna variation

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes (Or, to be easier, just cut in half longways, and take out the seeds. Can scoop out the flesh after it's roasted. A lot easier.)
4 TB butter
6 slices of bacon
2 TB olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
3 thyme sprigs (I used fresh sage, since that is what I left from my last recipe)
1/2 tsp dried bayleafs
4 cups chicken stock (different than chicken broth)
1/2 cube chicken bouillon
1 pinch ground cumin
1 pinch ground allspice
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 apples (I did 1 granny smith & 1 gala), peeled, cored, and chopped into chunks
1 cup heavy whipping cream

*Preheat oven to 400 degrees

*Place squash cubes on a large, rimmed, baking sheet. Dot them with the butter, season generously with salt and pepper, and then cover them with the slices of bacon and bake until the squash is tender and easily pierced by a knife. (If bacon cooks fully before then, you can remove it and set it aside. Cooking it on the squash infuses the squash with it's flavor while baking. Roasting the squash adds a richer flavor.)

*Once finished baking, let bacon cool and then crumble it and set it aside to top your soup with.

*Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, apples, bay leaves and thyme, cooking until onions are soft, not browned--abt. 5 min. Add the squash and chicken stock, stirring a few minutes to let the flavors all seep in together. Crumble the bouillon into the soup; season with cumin, allspice, salt, and pepper; finally, pour in the cup of heavy whipping cream. Remove from heat.

*Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway. Hold the lid of the blender in place with a kitchen towel and carefully start the blender using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a serving bowl. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup in the pot.

*Sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top, garnish with some fried sage or thyme (I just did this for looks and because I had some left over...it was good though.)

Voila! Delicious homemade soup that got lots of oooohs and ahhhs and yuuuummms! A tasty treat for the season! Tonight I am making Catalina Pot Roast, and if it's good, I'll share the wealth. :) Bon appetit!