Herbed Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Cheese plate, glass of wine, cocktail meatball, back to the cheese plate, more wine, bite of cookie, keep the wine coming, another meatball, okay just a splash more of the Cabernet... ooh, there's a cheese plate at this party? Welcome to my week. Five nights of holiday parties in a row... here we go Christmas.

File this one under "my life is hard" ridiculousness, but in all seriousness, this kind of partying can wreak havoc on one's waist line and liver. So a little planning ahead on Sunday is providing a fresh, vegetable-forward soup to help balance out sugar, fat and alcohol. Won't make up for the lavish indulgences, but at least it will make me feel slightly less gluttonous.

Apples lend a tartness to complement the sugar-y sweet squash, with fresh herbs as punctuation.

Use a sharp vegetable peeler to remove that pesky skin from the squash. No matter if you hack and knick it a bit, the forthcoming puree will mask a multitude of peeling sins.

Saute to soften, then in with the herbs and broth; simmer to tender town.

An immersion blender would be fantastic here. In other "my life is hard" news, I don't have one of those, so a food processor or blender will work just as well.

Pureed perfect. Be sure you're stocked up on Gatorade and saltine crackers... this week's going to be a doozy.

Herbed Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
1 butternut squash, peeled and roughly chopped
3 small apples, peeled and roughly chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon fresh sage, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
S&P

Over medium heat, melt butter with olive oil. Add onions to butter and oil and cook until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add butternut squash and apples, cooking until the outer edges begin to soften. Add vegetable stock, herbs, S&P and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook until squash is fork tender, about 30 minutes.

Puree squash mixture with an immersion blender or in two batches in a food processor or blender. Season to taste and thin with extra stock, if needed.

Serve hot.

And Then I Made Gray Soup...

I pride myself on being able to think on my feet in the kitchen, always tasting and adjusting along the way. But here's the thing... sometimes I straight up fail. I'm not saying "eh... not my favorite thing" fail, but rather "this is disgusting on all levels" fail.

Exhibit A -- A slow cooker mushroom soup. I turned these lovelies...

...into this awful mess.

I can't even blame the lighting... this straight up looked like concrete vomit. I wish I could say it tasted great, but it didn't. My best friend and husband lovingly ate it and said it was "good." What thoughtful bullshitters.

You know what though? It's okay that this sucked. When you try new things, you're inevitably going to bomb a few of 'em. Remind yourself... you don't have to love every thing you cook... and it's just fine if some things turn out bad.

And at least you won't be the food blogger who made gray soup.

Spicy Toasted Chickpeas

I'm addicted to them. Broiled chickpeas with a touch of olive oil and spice. The crispy, crunchy exterior with a soft and creamy inside. One part gourmet bar snack, another part perfect soup and salad topper.

This is a tip I picked up from Mark Bittman a few years back and the variations are endless. Curry, cumin or chili...oh my. Just drain and dry chickpeas before rolling around in olive oil and seasoning. In the oven for just a few minutes and you're done.

Can't. Get. Enough.

Since you're working toward a crispy outer skin, be sure to drain and rinse your beans well. A quick rub down with a paper towel ensures crunch.

Add an ample sprinkle of spice and into the broiler we go.

Before you know it, your delicate beans will be tanner than a high school girl in 1999 (and thankfully without the stripe-y blond highlights and body glitter).

While I love them alone, they're the perfect way to dress up canned soup on a weeknight.

Spicy Toasted Chickpeas
1 15oz can chickpeas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Preheat broiler. Drain and rinse chickpeas and pour on to a foil-lined cookie sheet. Use a paper towel to lightly dry chickpeas. Toss peas in oil and seasonings.

Broil for 4-5 minutes, shaking pan occasionally, until chickpeas are crisp on the outside. Check frequently has broilers can vary.

Serve alone or atop salad or soup. Try swapping out paprika for curry or cumin for variation.

White Bean Soup with Sweet Potato and Spinach

I don't know about you guys, but I needed a detox. So much deep-fried turkey, too many scoops of leftovers sides and a slice more of pie than was needed. Ugh... and before you know it Christmas parties, treats and flowing wine will take over my life. My life is hard.

But in all seriousness, after returning from a morning of travel the Husband and I were both craving something both light and comforting tonight. This white bean soup packs plenty of dark, leafy spinach and a refreshing change of protein pace from all that turkey. A bit of bacon keeps it real.

I love keeping canned beans around the house, especially in winter. They can help you easily turn soups or vegetable dishes into a more filling main attraction. Good-quality parmesan gives this lots of flavor too.

Crisp up the bacon and keep the gorgeous fat in the pan. That's what you'll use to saute your veggies, infusing them with oodles of flavor.

Bacon gets a bad wrap, but the kind I buy is only about 100 calories for two slices... that's a LOT of flavor for a relatively small caloric investment.

Soften up the onions before adding garlic, sweet potatoes, rosemary and thyme.

Once the sweet potatoes have started to soften, in with the white wine. Be sure to scrape up all the delicious bits from the bottom of the pan. That's the whole reason you add the wine... to deglaze (e.g., un-glue) the brown bits from the pan.

After the soup has simmered and you're ready to serve, in with a fresh load of spinach; stirring until wilted and incorporated.

Top with your reserved bacon and a bit of fresh grated parmesan. Mentally prepare yourself for the impending holiday madness. You're gonna make it.

White Bean Soup with Sweet Potato and Spinach
1 teaspoon olive oil
3-4 slices bacon, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 large sweet potato, chopped
2 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
1 cup dry white wine
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flake
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 15oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 parmesan rind (the part you cut off the end of the cheese)
6 cups vegetable stock
1 9oz bag fresh spinach
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan

In a heavy bottom pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and add bacon; cooking until crispy. Remove bacon from pan and drain on a paper towel lined plate; reserving for finished soup. Add onions to remaining fat in pan, cooking until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, sweet potato, red pepper flake, S&P and herbs to pan. Cook sweet potatoes until slightly softened, about 8-10 minutes.

Turn up heat to high and add white wine; scraping the bottom of the pan while stirring. Cook for 3 minutes before adding beans, parmesan rind and vegetable stock. Bring liquids to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 30-45 minutes or until sweet potatoes are cooked through.

Just before serving, stir in spinach to wilt. Serve soup hot with a sprinkle of parmesan and reserved bacon.

A Few Thanksgiving Reminders

Well I'm signing off soon for the holiday, but before you take on the biggest meal of the year, I thought I would share a few helpful reminders.

Your Parents Knives Won't Be Sharp -- I can almost guarantee your parents' knives haven't been sharpened since 1993. If you're cooking, consider bringing your own chef's knife and paring knife. No one wants to lose a knuckle to a dangerously dull knife. I'm flying today, so this won't be an option for me (like TSA wouldn't freak the F out on that). I'll be sure to let you know if I come back with all 10 digits.

Save the Bones and Veggie Scraps -- That's the stuff of gold for stocks. Plus, I find it very Grey Gardens Creeeper to keep a bag of bones in the freezer.

Dogs are cute... and Other Safe Conversation Topics -- Everyone can agree that puppies are cute and even cuter on YouTube. Avoid the election, Israel, Obamacare and by all means the Fiscal Cliff in your dinner conversations. Again, remember the puppies.

If All Else Fails, Do the Dishes -- Things getting a little heated in the dining room? Remembering sad stories? Is your mother going on about menopause? Why yes, you would LOVE to do the dishes in the other room.

Eating Pants -- Wear 'em.

Happy holiday to all! Count your blessings and enjoy every bite of that big meal.

28

I know Thursday is supposed to be the big day of gratitude this week, but today is a kinda a big one for me too. Today I turn 28 and as I mark another year, I am taking the opportunity to count my blessings.

This year I'm thankful for:

A Husband that treats me like it's my birthday every day. 

A family that provides unwavering support for all that I pursue. 

Friends -- lifelong and new found -- that love to laugh, listen and linger over wine. 

My health and the financial freedom to pursue adventures.

Faith.

A hobby that has inspired new creative drive and delicious bites.

Tiny dogs that give gift cards 

(and the Husband who knows my sense of humor too well for his own good)

So kick off a week of thankfulness with me today... and maybe have a cupcake (or seven). Cheers!

Thanksgiving Menu

So all this talk of Thanksgiving side dishes and what not, I thought you guys might be interested to know the full menu.

The husband, the tiny dog and I are headed to the great state of Kansas to celebrate with my my in-laws. Like me, my mother-in-law shares a desire to keep things on the lighter side. I'm all for indulgences, but I hate that "bad full" feeling that comes after so many big holiday meals.

And okay, this isn't THAT healthy. This is America after all.

Thanksgiving 2012

Cranberry Salsa

with pita chips

Spiced Peaches

Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips

Green Bean Casserole

Orange Cranberry Brussel Sprouts with Bacon

Cornbread Stuffing

Turkey

with giblet gravy

Pumpkin Pie

Salted Caramel Pie

And you know the best and least healthy part? We FRY that turkey! Oh yeah... the husband stands on the driveway with a can of beer and cooks up that puppy to a beautiful gold, crispy done. And juicy! Have you ever tried one?

Check out some pics from last year. Apparently I got hungry and forgot to take pictures of the finished product... I also didn't have a blog then. Also, disregard the husband's creepy mustache... he did Movember last year. It was gross.