Happy post-Thanksgiving, everyone!
I think there is something going around. A flu of some sort, but one that only affects bloggers. I know that I have gone my longest stretch yet without posting-- oh, the humanity!-- but other bloggers I know have remarked with a combination of guilt and curiosity that they, too, have been woefully ignorant in blogging over the past month. And other blogs that I follow I noticed have had a few cobwebs themselves. Daylight savings time malaise, perhaps? Too bundled up under heavy blankets to bother pulling out a pen... er, keyboard? Who knows. I'm not using this as an excuse for my pathetic lack of posting, dear readers. But I do find it most curious. And with that I apologize in advance for what will most likely be a long post, as I expound on so many things floating around in my brain.
Anyhoo, just because I haven't been busying myself with the never-ending to-do list in my personal life doesn't mean I haven't been Au Naturale-ing myself up. Quite the contrary! The fall CSA share has been keeping me busy and my ears have perked up on some food-related items in the news that I shall be waxing poetic about in some following (and timely, I promise) posts. But first... shameless self-promotion time!!!
I have decided to dip yet another toe in the bottomless pit that is social media and sign my Au Naturale persona up for a twitter account. Now you can get your Au Naturale musings in carefully proportioned character limits at any time! This will help relieve the pressure valve of ideas and half-written posts that sometimes just can't get written when I want them to. (See exhibits A, B, and C, which will be the onslaught of musings to follow in the coming days.) It also is unabashedly a way to get the blog out there more, as I've gotten some great feedback and would love to recruit more loyal readers. I swear though, this is not a criticism of any of you, you've been great! Please don't take it personally. I promise I love you all. In the meantime, please follow me at @AuNaturaleFood.
Now back to the exciting stuff. Besides the fun that is the new and interesting items in the CSA box-- celery root, anyone?-- it's been a blast to share this Autumn bounty with my more handsome half. As you may remember we decided to split a full box for the fall and it's been all kinds of fun to find recipes to fit our fresh and fabulous groceries, instead of the other way around. I've also been enjoying going back to basics quite a bit too. Sometimes it's just nice to enjoy a salad of fresh greens, carrots, peppers and celery and appreciate the flavors in their most pure and unadulterated form (and oh, Lordy, the carrots are amazing!)
Sharing has some other advantages, too. Sometimes it's easy to split everything up based on personal preferences; for example, brussel sprouts always go into the BF's take-home pile as he adores them and I most assuredly do not. Squash in any form goes into mine for the same reason. The one problem with always getting the spoils of what the other doesn't want is that you inevitably end up with sooooo much of just one thing. My boyfriend has had to blanch and freeze pounds of brussel sprouts that will no doubt last him through the end of the season and then some. And my squash? Thank goodness those things last a while because I still have 3 butternuts and an acorn hanging around even after already using a few others. And that, my fine friends, is where this week's recipe alert comes in.
Earlier this month I was on the road yet again for work, this time to the fine state of Iowa. I got on the plane healthy and rearing to go and a mere hour and a half later I stepped off sick as a dog. I was distressed not only because this was the second time I had gotten sick in as many months, the first being immediately after I got back from Israel, but it is not pleasant meeting with clients when you're sniffling and sneezing and snotting all over them while trying to close a business deal. It's also just not pleasant being sick in Iowa. Those of you who have spent any time in that state know what I am talking about (and I say this with all due respect and affection for all the fine people of the Hawkeye Nation).
So for days I subsisted on nothing but soup and tea. When I got home I was convinced that my blood was actually turning into a form of soup, I had been eating it so much. But yet I was still not well so the quickly tiring soup diet had to continue. And to me, there would be nothing better to indulge my weary body than homemade butternut squash soup. As a fun bonus, it would also be a great opportunity to get to use my new kitchen toy, a stick blender that my bro and sis-in-law got me for my birthday. Thanks, guys! Side note: if you do not have one I whole-heartedly recommend picking one up! A must for any kitchen!
Fear not, though, if you don't have one, as this soup is still easily made without fancy kitchen gadgets. It is a flavorful, succulent, silky soup just perfect for cold winters days. Even better, it freezes beautifully so you'll never have an excuse to go back to the canned stuff. I still have some from last season that, on a day when I didn't have time to make a fresh batch, I simply defrosted and heated up. Tasted just as fantastic as if I had made it yesterday.
The only note I have on the recipe below is in regards to the milk: it is up to you how much you want to add depending on if you like your squash soups on the thicker or thinner side. I generally don't put much more than a quarter cup in just because I like my squash soup pretty thick. And really, is fresh sage not the most underrated herb ever??? Don't skimp on it. Your taste buds and belly will thank you. Bon appetit!
Autumn Squash Soup
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 3-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 7 cups)
1 8-ounce sweet potato, peeled, diced
2 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low salt broth
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 1 tablespoon dried sage leaves (trust me, go for the fresh!)
1 1/2 cups (about) low-fat milk
Instructions:
Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion; cover and cook until tender, stirring often, about 5 minuts. Add squash, sweet potato, stock and 2 tablespoons sage; bring to boil.
Reduce heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Using slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to processor and puree until almost smooth but some texture remains. return mixture to liquid in Dutch oven. (Alternatively, puree directly in Dutch oven with a stick blender.)
Stir in enough milk to thin to desired consistency. Simmer soup over medium-low heat 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.) Stir in 1 tablespoon sage and serve.
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