Butternut & Bean Soup with Couscous

There's nothing like a good soup to help you forget the troubles of your day.

I've made this one – from the January issue of Good Housekeeping magazine – a few times now. It's somehow light and filling. And the leftovers taste even better since the flavors get a chance to develop. (If your family is 2 kids and 2 adults, you'll probably have leftovers.)

Only one of my boys liked this, but since my husband keeps talking about eating more beans for dinner, the kids are determined not to.

The mix-in calls for couscous, but I think quinoa would work just as well.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Butternut & Bean Soup with Couscous
Inspired by this Good Housekeeping recipe

1 large butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 15 ounce can white beans (like Northern) drained and rinsed
1 15 ounce can chick peans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup raw couscous (or quinoa)
1/4 cup shelled pistachios, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
2 green onions, sliced

Cut the squash to separate the neck from the base. Reserve base for another use. Peel neck of butternut squash and chop into 1/2 inch cubes.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add squash and cover. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

In a Dutch oven, add onion and 1 tablespoon oil and cover. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken broth, thyme and squash. Bring to a boil.

Using a fork, mash the white beans and add to the soup. Add the chick peas and stir. Reduce heat to low and simmer.

Prepare the couscous or quinoa according to package directions. Fluff with fork and gently stir in pistachios, cilantro, apricots and green onions.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with couscous mix-in.

Butternut Squash Soup with Sausage and Kale

My friend Kristi is a fellow busy, hard-working mama who strives to always get a hot dinner on the table. And — like me — when there's no time or energy to cook, take-out, short-cuts and leftovers work, too. But we always try and we love to share recipes and compare cooking notes. Kristi recently texted me a recipe for a butternut squash soup from a blog called The Lemon Bowl.

I made Kristi's new fave soup with a few tweaks. She suggested a dash of sage and I decided to use a little more squash. I also couldn't find Italian turkey sausage, so I used regular. Anyhow, it tasted souper (see what I did there?!) good, especially on a cold winter day.

XOXO,
Amy

Butternut Squash Soup with Sausage and Kale
3 links of uncooked Italian sausage — spicy or sweet, turkey or regular — removed from casings
1 medium onion diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
8 cups low sodium chicken broth
4 cups butternut squash peeled and cut into half-inch cubes
4 cups kale, roughly chopped
14 ounce can of cannelini beans, drained and rised
Dash of ground or fresh sage
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese to garnish — optional

Spray inside of large pot with non-stick spray and heat pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage to pot. Brown sausage for 7-8 minutes, using spoon to break meat into bite-sized pieces. Don't be afraid of the sausage getting brown, because the more it carmelizes the tastier your soup.

Add garlic, onion and red pepper to pot and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until onions and peppers are tender, about 5-6 minutes.

When sausage is nicely browned and veggies are tender, add broth to the pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all of the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Raise heat to high and bring soup to a boil. Add in the squash and cook until softened, about 20 minutes.

Five minutes before serving, add kale and beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan if you like, which I did.

Hands-Off Butternut Squash Soup

I love butternut squash soup, and there's plenty of proof here on Hot Dinner Happy Home. I've made Curried Butternut Squash Soup, Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, and Apple Butternut Squash Soup. One would think I covered this delicious autumn treat in plenty of detail, but no. I need to take it one step further to solve the one issue I have with butternut squash soup: cutting up the squash.

It is a pain in my patootie (yes, I'm the mom of a toddler) to slice butternut squash. First you have to peel the darn thing. Then you have this giant, slippery vegetable, and you're supposed to take a knife to it? Yeah, good luck. It's like chopping down a tree with a butter knife. Typically I buy pre-cut butternut squash to save myself the hassle, but it's more expensive. And I hate to pay extra for something I can technically do myself.

So I set about making butternut squash soup that didn't require any squash chopping. I microwaved the whole squash until it was easy to slice in half. Then I roasted it with carrots, apple, and onion to add some complexity to the soup. It was super simple to scoop the cooked squash out of the shell and puree it with the veggies and some broth. And Hands-Off Butternut Squash Soup was born!

Let's get cooking!
Erin

Hands-Off Butternut Squash Soup

1 large butternut squash
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 apple, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 onion, peeled and cut into 1" slices
1 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper
2 - 2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Sour cream for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Pierce squash with a fork in several places. Microwave 10 minutes on high, flipping over halfway through. (We want the squash to soften enough so it's nice and easy to slice in half.) Remove squash and allow it to rest until it's cool enough to handle. Slice squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Drizzle both cut sides of squash with 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet.

Place carrots, apple, and onion on a second large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Toss the vegetables so they're evenly coated and spread into a single layer on the baking sheet.

Roast the squash and carrots, apple, and onion for about 30 minutes, stirring the carrots, apple, and onion halfway through, until the vegetables are tender and caramelized.

Set aside squash for a few minutes until it's cool enough to handle. Scoop remaining vegetables into a large pot over medium heat. Pour about 1/4 cup broth into the rimmed baking sheet and scrape the browned bits off the bottom to incorporate the flavors into the broth. Pour broth from the baking sheet into pot with the vegetables. Once the squash has cooled, scoop the flesh into the pot. Pour about 1 3/4 cups broth into the pot. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup to your desired consistency. (If you don't have an immersion blender, blend in batches in a blender.) If the soup is too thick, stir in remaining broth until you're happy with the consistency.

Serve soup with a dollop of sour cream.

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Chicken and Goat Cheese

A while back I picked up a killer salad at Trader Joe's. I liked it so much, I thought I'd try to replicate it at home. And since it's the New Year—with the overindulgence of the holidays in the past—now seemed like the appropriate time.

Or maybe I'm just looking for an excuse to chase my dinner with an extra-large ice cream sundae. Decide for yourself.

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Goat Cheese and Salad
Serves: 2 (generously) as a main dish
Important Note: You will only need about a quarter of the roasted butternut squash for this salad. Meaning this is perfect leftover food! Make butternut squash on day 1 and serve it with rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. On day 2, make this delicious salad to use up both the chicken and the squash. Genius.

Roasted Butternut Squash:
1 medium butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Dressing:
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil*
1/2 teaspoon grainy mustard
1/2 teaspoon pure maple syrup
Salt and pepper

Salad:
6 cups torn lettuce
2/3 cup chopped cooked chicken
1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
1 cup roasted butternut squash
2 ounces crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Pierce squash with a knife in a few places. Microwave on high for 5 minutes to soften the squash and make it easier to cut. When the squash is cool enough to handle, peel it, cut it in half, and scoop out the seeds. Then cut the squash into 1/2" cubes. Place squash on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bake squash in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until tender and golden brown, stirring halfway through so it cooks evenly. Once the squash is cooked, set it aside until you're ready to serve the salad. It's delicious either warm or cold.

To make the dressing, combine vinegar, 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, mustard, and maple syrup in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Evenly divide lettuce, chicken, pecans, roasted squash, goat cheese, and cranberries between two plates. Drizzle with dressing just before serving.

*If you prefer a less tangy vinaigrette, increase the amount of olive oil to 3 tablespoons.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Here's the recipe I promised on Friday: Curried Butternut Squash Soup. I realize I've posted about a million butternut squash soup recipes, but I just can't help it. Squash is delicious. It's also a good source of fiber, vitamin C, and potassium.

Even with all the squash soup I've served, a recent conversation with my gal pals made me realize an important variation I'd inadvertently ignored; I have never made butternut squash soup with curry powder in it! It was high time I checked that off my bucket list, and the result was as delicious as I'd hoped.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Serves: 6-8

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups cubed butternut squash (I buy peeled and cubed butternut squash at Costco. It's the best thing since sliced bread. Seriously.)
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 apple, peeled and diced
Salt and pepper
1.5 teaspoons curry powder
32 ounces chicken or vegetable broth
Sour cream, for serving

In a very large dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium high. Add squash, onion, carrots, and apple. Season with a dash of salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until they're starting to soften, about 10 minutes.

Add curry powder and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, making sure you scrape the bottom of the pan with your spoon to incorporate the browned bits of flavor into the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 30 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, puree the soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with sour cream.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

How many of my recipes start with, "So I picked up the motherlode of X at Costco..."?  Well, this is another one of those recipes.

So I picked up the motherlode of pre-cut butternut squash at Costco. Cutting up butternut squash is the worst. It always goes skittering across my counter when I'm trying to slice it in half. And then it requires all my body weight leaning on the knife to get it into pieces. Usually, the poor husband gets startled by me hooting and hollering, "Gall darn, dang! This stinkin'...Geez!" He gingerly pokes his head into the kitchen, "Uh, honey? Is everything alright in here? Don't hurt yourself trying to cut that thing..." Now you understand why I got so tickled when I saw the vat of pre-cut squash. I had to buy it. For safety's sake.

This delightful soup is the result. Roasting the vegetables brings out the depth of their flavor. At the same time, it's very earthy and simple.

Need a first course for Thanksgiving? This could be the perfect choice.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Serves: 4-6

6 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash (1/2"-1" cubes)
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1" slices
2 ribs celery, cut into 1" slices
4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
4-6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
2 sprigs rosemary

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper for easy clean-up. Evenly divide squash, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic between two baking sheets. Drizzle each tray with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until vegetables are golden and very tender, stirring and rotating baking sheets halfway through.

Meanwhile, bring 4 cups chicken stock and rosemary to a boil in pot large enough to fit all the soup.

When the vegetables have finished cooking, remove the rosemary from the stock and add vegetables to the pot. Return soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minute to allow the flavors to meld.

Blend soup using an immersion blender or in batches in a blender. Add remaining stock if necessary to reach your desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Roasted Buttercup Squash

Squash. It sounds funny. It looks funny. It tastes funny delicious.

For a long time I've been a fan of acorn squash. In fact, I made some a few weeks ago for the husband and myself. I took the uber-easy way out and microwaved it. Ain't nothin' wrong with taking the easy way if it means your getting a good vegetable into your gullet.

Earlier in September, the girls and I whipped up some bowl-licking-good butternut squash soup to kick off fall. I had to make sure I shared that recipe because my friend, Jill, wants to make it for part of her Thanksgiving dinner. In case you're planning your Turkey Day menu, it would be a delectable choice for your buffet table, too. It's perfectly autumnal, and you can make it ahead of time.

Then I read an article in Real Simple magazine the other day about all the different varieties of squash. I was, of course, completely intrigued. There were several varieties of squash I hadn't yet gotten my hands on. Buttercup squash caught my eye because it was described as sweet. I maaaay have a bit of a sweet tooth, so I got my hands on a buttercup squash as soon as possible.

When you make buttercup squash (because you really should), there is one thing I'll warn you about. It looks and tastes a bit drier than acorn squash. I stirred in a bit of water and, I'll be honest, lots of butter to remedy this situation. The husband was pretty skeptical when he saw the slightly flaky-looking orange flesh, but he was completely sold after one bite. Yes, folks, this squash is delicious.

So, next time your at the market, grab the squash that interests you the most. If there's not a recipe here on Hot Dinner Happy Home for the variety you choose, shoot me an email (hotdinnerhappyhome@gmail.com), and I'll take on the challenge. I'll test it out and tell you what I think. And I'll share the results right here. Get ready for gourd bonanza, folks!

P.S. Since I've been mentioning Real Simple a lot lately, I think my mother-in-law deserves a shout-out for giving me the magazine subscription as a gift last Christmas. The gift that keeps on giving. Thanks, Mom!!

Roasted Buttercup Squash
Serves: 4-6

1 (3.5 pound) butternut squash
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Butter (to your preference)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, use a sharp knife to pierce the skin of the squash in several places. Place squash in a glass baking dish lined with parchment paper (for easy clean up.) Microwave on high for 10 minutes to speed up the cooking process. (If you're not in a hurry, feel free to skip this step. Just cook the squash longer in the oven.) Once the oven is preheated, place baking dish with the squash on the center rack and bake for 45 minutes, until a knife can slide into the squash easily.

Let the squash rest for a few minutes until it's easy enough to handle. Cut the squash in half, scoop out and discard the strings and seeds. Scoop the flesh out of the squash and place it in a bowl. Add brown sugar, salt and pepper to taste, and as much butter as you'd like, then mash it all together. Serve warm with a hearty pat of butter dripping down the sides.

Butternut Squash Soup

Did you know that autumn is my favorite season? I love the crisp air, cozy sweaters, and hearty foods. I start lighting candles that smell too strong and give the husband headaches. I feel all nest-y and start cleaning my house. It's the best. Well, except for the headaches. Poor husband.

Winter squash is one of the many other reasons I love fall. I think I've mentioned my sweet tooth a time or two on HDHH. Squash is a vegetable (read: healthy, chock full of vitamins), but it tastes like candy (read: sweet, delicious, wonderful.) I swoon just thinking about it.

To kick off the first day of fall last week, I made Roast Butternut Squash Soup with Jill and Kelly. With it's creamy texture and rich orange hue, it was the perfect way to start the season. This soup is more savory than other butternut squash soups I've had in the past, and it's flavor made me think about an upcoming fall favorite, Thanksgiving.

Make plenty extra because it reheats well for lunch the next day. Everyone in your lunch room will be jealous.

Three cheers for fall!

Butternut Squash Soup
Serves: 6-8

1 butternut squash (about 3 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
1/4 cup white wine
2 bay leaves
2-3 cups vegetable broth

The first step is roasting the squash. I'll give you a few methods, and you can pick your favorite depending on how much time you have and how strong your aversion to slicing raw butternut squash is. These techniques are from the trustworthy tome Joy of Cooking.

Roasting Whole Butternut Squash
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pierce the squash with a knife in 4-5 places so it doesn't explode. Place squash in a baking dish (so it doesn't ooze it's sugary juices all over your oven and create a sticky, stinky mess) and bake until the flesh is tender when pierced with a knife. Since butternut squash is large, it will take about an hour and a half to cook. Once it's cooked, cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds and strings.

Roasting Pieces of Butternut Squash
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds and strings. Place cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Add 1/4" water to the pan and cover with aluminum foil. Bake until flesh is tender when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes - 1 hour.

While your squash is roasting, add olive oil to a large soup pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Saute until vegetables are tender and golden, about 10 minutes. Pour in wine and stir, scraping the bottom to deglaze the pot.

Scoop squash out of the skin and add to the soup pot. Add vegetable broth just to cover and stir in bay leaves. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove bay leaves and puree the soup using an immersion blender. If you don't have an immersion blender,  puree the soup in batches in your blender. (Then add an immersion blender to your Christmas list!) If the soup is too thick, slowly add more broth until it reaches the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Plan-Ahead Tip: Roasting butternut squash takes a long time, but it's totally hands-off. Roast squash the day ahead or while your kiddos are taking a nap, and dinner will be ready in moments!