Butternut Squash Fries

From: Here

Ingredients:
1 2-lb butternut squash, halved, peeled and seeded
salt

Preheat oven to 425. Peel the squash. Cut the squash into sticks like French fries, making sure it's seeded. Arrange on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 20 minutes, turning halfway through baking. They are done with they are browning on the edges and crispy.


What I did differently from the recipe:
I drizzled them with a bit of olive oil, and then used Kosher salt and pepper on them. I also baked them in a 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes (I was cooking something else at the same time) and then broiled them about 2 minutes to get them crispy.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Thumbs UP! Mmmm, so good!! I only made one squash because I wasn't sure if we'd like them. When the whole plate was gone, Brianna was saying, "More fries??", Hunter was grunting, "Mmm! Mmm!" (i.e. "Feed me more!") and I was wishing I had another butternut squash sitting around. Yummy side dish that I'll be making more of in the future!

Butternut Squash Soup

From: Here

Ingredients:
1 2-3 lb butternut squash, peeled and seeded
2 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cups chicken stock
Nutmeg
Salt and pepper

Cut squash into 1-inch chunks. In large pot melt butter. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add squash and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove squash chunks with slotted spoon and place in a blender and puree. Return blended squash to pot. Stir and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve.

What I did differently from the recipe:
Nothing.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Butternut squash is very sweet so this is a great sweet soup. Great when served just with crackers. Sorry no pictures but trust me, this is a great fall soup to try! And so easy!

Butternut Squash Soup with Ravioli

From: Better Homes and Gardens breast cancer cookbook

Ingredients:
2 lbs butternut squash
2 14-oz cans vegetable broth
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 Tbsp butter
1 9-oz package refrigerated cheese-filled ravioli
1 Tbsp molasses

Peel squash. Halve lengthwise. Remove seeds and discard. Cut squash into 3/4-inch pieces. In a large saucepan combine 1/2 cup water, squash, vegetable broth, and red pepper. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 20 minutes or until squash is tender. Transfer one-fourth of the squash mixture to a blender container or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Repeat with remaining portions, one at a time, until all of the mixture is blended. Return blended mixture to the saucepan. Bring just to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add butter; stir until just melted. Meanwhile, prepare the ravioli according to package directions; drain.

Ladle hot soup into bowls. Divide cooked ravioli among the bowls. Drizzle with molasses.

What I did differently from the recipe:
I don't know how much 2 lbs of butternut squash is but I just used one squash. Also, instead of cooking the ravioli separately I just tossed it in during the last 3-5 minutes of cooking.

What I'll do differently next time:
Not sure.

Verdict:
Neutral. This soup turned out to be very sweet. The ravioli definitely helps cut down on the sweetness but I wouldn't add any more than what the recipe calls for.

Printable version:

Ingredients:
2 lbs butternut squash
2 14-oz cans vegetable broth
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 Tbsp butter
1 9-oz package refrigerated cheese-filled ravioli
1 Tbsp molasses

Peel squash. Halve lengthwise. Remove seeds and discard. Cut squash into 3/4-inch pieces. In a large saucepan combine 1/2 cup water, squash, vegetable broth, and red pepper. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 20 minutes or until squash is tender. Transfer one-fourth of the squash mixture to a blender container or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Repeat with remaining portions, one at a time, until all of the mixture is blended. Return blended mixture to the saucepan. Bring just to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add butter; stir until just melted. Meanwhile, prepare the ravioli according to package directions; drain. Ladle hot soup into bowls. Divide cooked ravioli among the bowls. Drizzle with molasses.