Scarborough FoodFair: Acorn Squash Soup

Alright, three posts in less than ten days? Who am I? What happened to the lazy once a month blogger? Don't worry, I'm sure she will be back anytime.

Seriously though, I'm not sure what has gotten in to me. Maybe it's the fall weather that's keeping me in the kitchen. Or all of the delicious fall recipes I've been salivating over and dying to make for the last four excruciatingly hot months. Or all of the wonderful ingredients sitting in my refrigerator begging to be used immediately.

I'm going to settle with it being a combination of the three. It only seems fair.

Speaking of fall recipes...This is going to be a stretch because comments on here are rare, BUT I know there are at least a few readers out there so...I want to hear what your favorite autumn dishes are! Please! Maybe you will provide some inspiration for recipes to come. I would love that. Yes, I would.

Let's keep this short and sweet and get on with it.

Acorn Squash Soup...with goat cheese and basil croutons.

Ingredients:

2 medium Acorn Squash
1 medium Yellow Onion
1/4 cup diced Carrots
1 Apple
2 cups Chicken Stock
1 cup Apple Cider
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 tablespoons Dill
1/4 (or less) teaspoon Cayenne
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste
Goat Cheese for garnish

For the Croutons:

Focaccia Bread-Or any other kind of bread!
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Butter
1 tablespoon fresh herbs (I used basil)

1. Look at those beautiful things. Straight from Honey Pot Hill Orchard.

2. Cut squash length wise and scoop out the "goop".

3. Salt and pepper the inside. You can even throw on a little butter if you want.

4. Place them cut side down on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes.

5. Dice onion and carrots. And please excuse the lack of light in my kitchen. I'm not sure how those carrots got to be that strange color.

6. Grab an apple. Another gift from Honey Pot Hill.

7. Peel, core, dice.

8. Saute onion and carrots in a tablespoon or two of butter for 15 minutes or so.

9. Add diced apples.

10. The squash should be done by now so get those babies out of the oven!

11. After it has cooled just a bit, drop in the squash (no skin of course!)

12. Now slowly pour in 2 cups of chicken stock.

13. And one cup of apple cider. Let it simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.

14. Now puree the heck out of it! Seriously. You don't want any chunks. Chunks = Icky.

15. Okay I got distracted at this point. I'm sorry. Put the pureed mixture back into the pot and add 2 tablespoons dill, 1/4 (or less) teaspoon cayenne, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 cup heavy cream.

See how many pictures I missed there? Oops. Keep on low while you are making the croutons.