Autumn Harvest Soup

Today it is most definitely soup weather. This is one of my very favorite soups. Ingredient amounts are approximate as I don't usually measure when I cook.

1 large butternut squash (or any kind of orange-fleshed winter squash or pumpkin will work)
1 medium sized red onion, chopped
1/2 cup of chopped celery
1 large garnet yam
1 carrot, chopped
2-3 cans or one carton of vegtable broth (chicken broth works too)
1 Tablespoon mole base
salt & pepper
1-2 cups milk or almond milk
1/2-3/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon butter

preheat oven to 350. Cut and seed the squash and roast along with the yam for an hour or so till yam is tender and oozing it's carmely goodness and squash is tender and well cooked. Depending on the squash this can take more than an hour. This step gives the soup a really rich flavor. Scoop squash out of shell and remove peel from yam and set aside. In a large pot sautee the chopped onion, carrot and celery in the butter over medium heat till onion is carmelized. Add broth and squash, yam and mole base and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Use a hand blender to puree till mostly smooth. Mixture should be thick. Add brown sugar, salt & pepper. (adjust these quntities to your liking) Then add milk or almond milk till desired consistancy is reached and heat through. I like to serve this soup with a dollop of sour cream and some tosted pumkin seeds on top.

Cream of Cauliflower Soup

I don't think I've ever posted a recipe here before but my son Devin liked this soup so much he asked me to post my recipe for it on Facebook. I don't know what's cooler. The fact that my son, who generally doesn't like veggies asked me to post the recipe, or the fact that he actually ate it and liked it so much! In any case, I could not refuse the request! :) However, I figured if I was going to take the time to type it all out I should put it somewhere where it won't disappear eventually! So here ya go! Amounts are approximate since I don't measure.

About 1 &1/2 cups of chopped up cauliflower

1 small peeled potato

½ of a medium sized onion chopped.

1 can of chicken broth

1 T of butter

½ to ¾ cup milk

Reserve ½ cup of the chopped cauliflower, chop it up a little more so the pieces are very small. Put in a small bowl with enough water to cover, cover with plastic wrap and cook in the microwave for about 2 minutes. set aside and leave covered so that it continues to cook. Sautee the rest of the cauliflower, chopped onion and potato in the butter in a 2 or 3 quart soup pot at medium heat for about 15 minutes stirring frequently. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until vegetables are mushy. I use a hand blender to puree this mixture, a regular blender will work too but is messier. After you have it smooth ad the reserved (drain excesswater put first) cauliflower (make sure it's tender, you don't want it crunchy) and then add the milk. and then heat till just heated through, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve. Devin put crushed tortilla chips and grated cheese on top of his first bowl and crumbled cheezit crackers on the second then asked if I would post my recipe so here it is. Enjoy! Soup weather is coming soon! :)