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Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Fall Soup Taste Test

Besides the Halloween cats, another recipe I got from the blog “Small and Simple Things” by Kim McCrary was a fall recipe for a butternut squash and carrot soup. I am ashamed to admit I had never used butternut squash in my life before this, and I even had to look it up online to see what it looked like! Isn’t that embarrassing? Once I saw it, of course it looked familiar, but I had never cooked one. Don’t tell my mom!

Anyway, I decided to make the recipe for my family, but I also bought two competitor squash soups from the store so we could have a scientific taste test. My homemade soup was #1, but they didn’t know that.


My kids loved the samples in their little cups they got to try, and they liked all but #3—the pumpkin was too strong in it.  Jason and I didn’t care much for it either.  My three girls liked the other store- bought soup the best, probably because it tasted the blandest of the three soups.  Jason and I both agreed there was no question that the winner was the homemade one.   No joke.  It’s delicious and so good for you too!  The recipe is definitely a keeper, and it will get its very own recipe card in my file. 


If you want the recipe, just remember to click on Kim’s blog on my blog list.  You might have to scroll down a little on her blog to find it, but it’s there.  Kim said she can get the squash already cut up at Costco!!  Cutting and peeling the squash was definitely the worst part of the preparation.  (Do you guys know how lucky you are to have Costco?) Thanks Kim for another fun October recipe. 

6 comments:

Stefani said...

What a good idea to make it a taste test! Maybe my kids would be less argumentative when I offer something new if I did that.... :) I may look up that recipe - and then half it just for me, 'cause no one in my fam is gonna eat it 'cept me!! hehehehe...

Kim M. said...

I'm so glad you liked it. It's my favorite. I think people either love squash or they hate it. I can't believe you got your kids to even try it. What a great idea with the taste test. Thanks for sharing my blog!

Ju Ju said...

Hey Tiffany,

I got your message. We are potty training, and you happened to call when we were doing our "stuff." Try again, I would love to talk to you.

I want to try your soup too. I guess I will have to visit that website.

Heather Whitworth said...

Tiff, you are such a teacher...I love it! :)

Anonymous said...

Tiffers....while that looks good and probably is.... i have fell in love with this...and so has everyone i know. no joke. people crave it.

SUNSHINE SOUP (Shannon Dunston)

Serve hot with a dollop of maple cream and pecans…….

1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter (1/2 cube)
6 cups peeled and cubed squash (winter variety such as butternut, acorn, or hubbard, but NOT BANANA) I like butternut
4 cubes chicken bullion
3 cups water
1 teaspoon Seasonall
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 8-ounce package cream cheese

In a large saucepan, saute onions in butter until tender. Add water, squash, bullion, and seasonings and bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, until squash is tender. Add cream cheese and puree (in batches) in a blender until it’s smooth. Return to saucepan and reheat, but don’t allow it to boil.

My blender will hold all the soup to puree the cream cheese in one batch but not all blenders will.


CANDIED PECANS

3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup pecans

Melt the sugar in a small pan. Add pecans and stir. Pour the mixture out in a non-stick surface. Put in a zip bag and crush into smaller pieces. **Be careful not to cook the sugar too long. Once it starts to dissolve, it will burn easily.



MAPLE WHIPPED CREAM

1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons maple syrup

When you plan on serving, whip cream with the maple syrup and a pinch of salt to stiff peaks.

peachytiffers said...

That looks really fun to do. Little samples of a few. We just might try that.