Butternut Squash & Turkey Soup

My little fall forest

 For many of us, it's fall right about now - or was when I made this last week for myself, my husband, and our friend Leigh.

 As it's in the 40's outside right now, it's sure feeling more like winter to me.

I guess that works out either way, as butternut squash soup is great for fall and winter - though the squash may be more difficult to find as the season edges onward.

Once again, we were lucky enough to have one of Theron's very thoughtful coworkers give us a huge squash from her neighbor's garden.

You may also notice these photos are darker than usual - that's because Theron was trying out a new camera.  They are *too* dark, IMO...

We sent the camera back ;)

I microwaved the squash for approximately 25-30 minutes in 15 to 10 minute intervals, where I would test it for squooshiness. 

Finally, I pulled it out and let it cool b/c believe me - 

you do not want to cut into this and start messing with it right away. 

 This baby was HOT!

 But once it's cooled it's super easy to peel off the skin. 

Then I scraped the bunch of awesome butternut goodness, or 'flesh', out and into a bowl to microwave it some more.

Then I chopped up a leek... 

And three bunches of green onions.

I also chopped up a parsnip for the love of parsnips ;)

Serious parsnip love hahah

I added these three ingredients to the pot first.

And let them brown just a little.

Next up - I added skim milk and my butternut squash. Normally I would be using heavy cream, but I thought I'd try to do it a bit differently. 

Pepper is definitely necessary.

While you're letting this cook it's important to remember...

That it's fall so you're using another fall spatula ;)

Wanting to make it into as much of a thick soup (ie not chunky) as I could, we brought out the Ninja 

- as usual!

Then back into the pot it went to get seasoned and cook more.

Basil sounds good...

And in it goes!

This smelled amazing so it had to go in as well.

Sometimes you just have to go with your gut... or your nose, whichever:)

The color is way off in that pic. Grrrr.

Onion powder bc I didn't feel like fiddling with onions ;)

I also added a tiny amount of fennel, which I bought not knowing what it was ;)

Then came mushrooms... (i know, i know, so many ppl hate them)

Luckily, myself, Theron, and our friend Leigh are not of the mushroom-hating group:)

Why not focus on my pinky?  One cube of veggie bouillon

In you go!

Meanwhile we voted to cook the Turkey breasts I'd bought. So, we weren't vegetarian afterall!

Theron cooked this up with salt, pepper, and a little bouillon I believe.

I reserved some of the green onions to go on top of the soup.

Two soups almost ready to go... and blurry Brigly in his new Dia de los Muertos attire :)

My lil cutie pie - he didn't mind the shirt at ALL which was amazing and super terrific :)

I bought a rye-like bread we sliced up for our dipping in soup purposes:)

Theron's bowl - not the loveliest plating but delicious soup for sure!

Ta-da!  A very fall-themed soup: simple easy and ready to eat!

Recipe:

- 1 large (or 2-3 smaller) butternut squash. The bigger the neck, the better for useable fleshy pulp

(Microwave till it feels very smooshy, let sit, then add all the flesh into a bowl and microwave a bit more)

- 1 parsnip (totally optional, I just wanted to use one)

- 3 bunches of green onions (half for cooking in the soup, the rest for topping the soup)

- 1 leek for cooking in the soup

- Approximately a cup of skim milk (sub half and half or cream/heavy cream for a more 'bisque' like soup)

- 1 cube veggie bouillon in 1 cup hot water

- add basil / garlic pepper / onion powder to your taste (you're having fun here!)

- add fennel if you bought it and think it may give a little kick to your soup

- add mushrooms if they don't offend you ;)

- adding turkey meat definitely won't hurt your dish. Cook it separately and add it in at the end, and it'll make for one hearty meal.

Ironically, I was making this to not be spicy for everyone... then we all wanted to add crushed red pepper anyway!!:)

Dinner gets a high-five from Leigh and Theron! :D

Enjoy!  And feel free to share your own butternut squash recipes with me - please!:)

Xoxo!  -Val!

PS: Thanks again to everyone who helped me figure out this was fennel :D