Squash and Apple Soup

Is it bad when the squash call to you at the store?!? Don't answer that.

Regardless, these two buttercup squash seemed to beg me to put them in my cart and bring them home with me. So, I did, and I quartered them and dug out their seeds, drizzled them with olive oil and sprinkled on some salt and dried rosemary and roasted them in the oven until....

Mmm. Nice and tender! 

Next up, saute some red onion, garlic and apple and in butter. (The original recipe I started with called for pear, but I only had apples.)

Add the roasted squash, a little milk and some veggie stock. Puree, either with a stick blender, or a regular one, and heat to serving temp.





                                                                         Ta da!

Squash and Apple Soup

2 medium buttercup squash
Olive oil, for drizzling
2 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp dried rosemary
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 c diced red onion
1 clove garlic, minced

1 small apple, cored, peeled and chopped
3 c vegetable stock
1/2 c milk
1/2 tsp sage

Preheat oven to 400º. Cut squash in half, remove seeds and cut pieces in half again. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 the salt and the rosemary. Roast until tender, about 40 minutes, rotating squash around to avoid over cooking. Cool until you are able to handle the pieces. Remove squash from the skin.

Melt butter over medium-high heat in a soup pot. Add onion and garlic and saute 2-3 minutes, until they begin to turn tender. Add apple pieces and saute, stirring frequently, until apple is soft. Add squash, stock, milk, remaining salt and sage to pot and heat over medium-low heat. Use an immersion blender to puree soup to desired consistency (or, use a regular blender, working in batches as needed).

Butternut Squash Lasagne

Squash are a good source of iron, riboflavin and vitamins A and C. And, I learned on the farm last summer that even cows like them! I got this recipe from twincitieslive.com. When assembling this, I split the ingredients between two 8" square pans (one lined with foil, then sprayed, assembled and put in the freezer before baking). It will take about 20-30 min longer to bake from frozen.


Butternut Squash Lasagne

1 T olive oil
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced (about 3 lbs.)
4 T butter
1/4 c flour
3-1/2 c milk
1/8 t ground nutmeg
1/8 t ground cinnamon
3/4 c lightly packed fresh basil leaves
2-1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 package (8 oz) oven-ready lasagne noodles
1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add squash and toss to coat. Add 1/2 cup water. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, or until tender. Cool slightly. Puree squash in food processor and season with salt and pepper.

In  a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Add flour, whisking for 1 minute. Increase heat to high and gradually whisk in milk. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Whisk in nutmeg and cinnamon. Let cool slightly. Pout half the white sauce into a blender, add the basil and blend until smooth. Return basil sauce to saucepan and combine with the rest of the white sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat oven to 350º. Reserve 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Lightly spray 13“ X 9” X 2" baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 3/4  cup of basil sauce in bottom of dish. Place 1/3 of the noodles over sauce. Spread 1/3 of the squash puree over the noodles, followed by 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering.

Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with reserved ½ cup of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Return to oven and continue baking 15 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.