Hated or adored the polarizing holiday of the year is almost upon us. Thankfully it’s on a Sunday this year so we wont have to sit through the crush of delivered bouquets teeming with overwrought posies and yards of pastel ribbon at the office. My unfortunate floral allergy simply doesn’t have a chance against the evil scent of lilies in small confined spaces. In case you’re wondering though I’m perfectly willing to accept roses in vast quantities in the privacy of my own home.
Flowers aside, there is one thing about Valentine’s Day that I have missed over the years – those adorable little cards. In Kindergarten I broke my elbow. Absurdly enough, after I broke it, I cried harder about the fact that I would A. not be able to go to the library that night as we’d be spending the evening in the emergency room and b. that I would miss our class Valentine’s Day party. I used to love receiving heaps of mini Smurf, She-Ra, and Thunder Cat illustrated cards during elementary school parties. Coupled with sugar cookies sprinkled with spicy red hots and cherry heart-shaped lollipops and you have the basic tools to create a child’s dream day.
Obviously you can see why I’d be more upset about losing out on the chance at receiving special treats than getting a cast put on. Fortunately my teacher at the time, Mrs. Dalessandro, made a special trip to my house to bring me a plate of the class pink and red hued goodies as well as my stash of badly lettered greetings.
This year I decided to bring the tradition back after I found a set of scratch and sniff cards at Paper Source that I just couldn’t resist. While writing them out yesterday, with Watson’s assistance of course, I was transported back twenty years. Who needs a time machine when you’re surrounded by the scent of artificial strawberry, vanilla, orange and blueberry? So friends and family keep an eye on your mailbox…
A few months ago I won a giveaway on The Beholder blog for an amazon gift card that allowed me to finally fulfill my dream of owning a proper Cuisinart Food Processor. Previously CK and I were the not-so-proud owners of an absolutely horrible contraption that we bought out of necessity one afternoon at Target many moons ago. Sure it did the job, but not well and anytime you attempted to process a liquid it would gleefully spray the contents out of the absurd built-in salad shooter spout that you could never block off completely. Needless to say, many cooking hissy fits have commenced via this evil and constantly malfunctioning machine.
But my food processing strife is now thoroughly in the past. My kitchen with a Cuisinart has become a calm space that allowed me to quickly compose a delightful Roasted Butternut Squash soup without christening my counters or giving myself third-degree collateral damage burns.
Simplicity is the overarching theme of our weeknight dinner menus these days and this Ina Garten concoction absolutely fits that bill. After chopping up onions, apples, and squash I was free as a bird for the next 45 minutes – ample time to throw in a load of laundry, play with the cats, and help my sister with an essay. Then, while the processed soup ingredients were bubbling away in their pot of broth and curry powder I quickly prepped the toppings. I do have one warning for you: go easy on the raw scallions. Too many and you’ll really sour the while soup experience. Personally I’d opt for extra bananas instead. Bananas and curry were a completely new combination for me and the duo now ranks somewhere at the top of my list of “really super awesome” things.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup and Curry Condiments
Recipe originally published by Ina Garten
3 to 4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded
2 yellow onions
2 McIntosh apples, peeled and cored
3 tablespoons good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1/2 teaspoon good curry powder
Condiments for serving:
Scallions, white and green parts, trimmed and sliced diagonally
Flaked sweetened coconut, lightly toasted
Roasted salted cashews, toasted and chopped
Diced banana
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut the butternut squash, onions, and apples into 1-inch cubes. Place them on a sheet pan and toss them with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Divide the squash mixture between 2 sheet pans and spread in a single layer. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, tossing occasionally, until very tender.
Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock to a simmer. When the vegetables are done, put them through a food mill fitted with the medium blade. (Alternatively, you can place the roasted vegetables in batches in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add some of the chicken stock and coarsely puree.) When all of the vegetables are processed, place them in a large pot and add enough chicken stock to make a thick soup. Add the curry powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Taste for seasonings to be sure there’s enough salt and pepper to bring out the curry flavor. Reheat and serve hot with condiments either on the side or on top of each serving.
