Highlights of Hosting our First Thanksgiving

China and Napkin Rings

Steve carving the turkey, using directions in Maxim Magazine.

Full Plates and Happy Bellies

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Turkey

Stuffing

Mashed Potatoes

Corn Casserole

Green Beans Almondine with a Lemon Twist

Honey Buns

Well Behaved Kitties

Success!

Happy thanksgiving to all my lovely readers. 

Hope you had a wonderful day!

Squish for Starters

Another simple dinner tonight.  Nachos are always my old standby.  This time with soy crumbles instead of ground beef.  Still mixed them up with sautéed onions, peppers, and mushrooms.  Topped with leftover rice and beans and cheese.  After getting all melty, served salad style with mango salsa and sour cream.

Dinner had to be quick because I had more important things to do!  I had to make our thanksgiving appetizer…

In case you didn’t know, squish = squash in our house.  Steve coined the term and it stuck.  For this recipe it makes complete sense.  It’s basically baby food.  And if you fed this to me, I’d be one happy baby!

Originally I thought our table needed more vegetables.  There’s no reason we can’t get loads of nutrients from the vibrant colors that fall vegetables bring to the table.  I wanted to make a roasted butternut squash, root vegetable, and apple dish.  Turns out, I didn’t like that dish all that much.  I thought I’d try a round two, but as I soon discovered I wouldn’t really have enough oven space for it either.  That whole idea went down the drain and I basically gave up on butternut squash being on the thanksgiving table, even though I love it.

Then last week while I was at the grocery store, I found myself putting a butternut squash in the shopping cart.  I don’t know how it happened!?  On the other side of the store, when I got my clear head back, I thought, I’ll just leave it in there and eat it before thanksgiving.  Nope.  Didn’t happen.

Then on Saturday I ate butternut squash soup while visiting Dogfish Head Ale House!  This darn squash was just not leaving my mind!  I guess at this point I realized there’s some subconscious planning going on in my brain.  Soup would work!  Hooray!  Butternut squash is back on the menu!  So I looked to All Recipes for inspiration and started concocting.  This is the result.  I’m thrilled.  So much so, I ate a little bowl tonight.  And I might even have a bowl for breakfast.

And I don’t care if no one else eats it on Thanksgiving day.  But I’m sure they will.  And they’ll love it too.  I hope. 

If you want to love this soup too, here’s the recipe…

Roasted Squish Soup

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 2 medium potatoes, chopped
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cubed
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• pinch ground cloves
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Poke squash with a fork and heat in the microwave for about 5 minutes to soften slightly.  This makes it oodles easier to peel, seed, and cube.
2. Dot with 1 tablespoon butter and a few grinds of salt and roast at 400* for about 30 minutes or until golden and mostly softened.
3. Melt remaining butter in a large pot and sauté onion, carrot, and potatoes until golden and starting to soften.
4. Add squash and 1/2 chicken stock to pot and simmer for about 20 minutes until everything is really soft.
5. Transfer soup into blender and blend until smooth.  I blended in two parts and covered the blender with a kitchen towel to vent.  Add remaining chicken stock as needed to help blend. 
6. Transfer soup back to pot.  Run half and half through the blender to clean out all the soupy remains left in the blender.  Add this to the pot.
7. Stir in seasonings, brown sugar, and add salt and pepper to taste.  All seasonings can be altered to your taste preferences. 
8. Enjoy with a sprinkle of cinnamon!

What food can’t be missing from your thanksgiving table?