Apricot Squash Soup Food

SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place the quartered squash onto a half sheet pan, brush the flesh of the squash with a little butter and season with 1 tablespoon of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the white pepper. Place in the oven and roast for 30 to 35 minutes or until the flesh is soft and tender.
• Scoop the flesh from the skin into a 6-quart pot. Add the broth, honey and ginger. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Using a stick blender, puree the mixture until smooth*. Stir in the heavy cream and return to a low simmer. Season with the remaining salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
• *When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

ACORN SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the squash in half on the equator and remove the seeds with a spoon. Cut a flat spot on each end so the squash will sit flat. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and arrange the squash, cut side up. To 3 of the squash halves, add a peeled shallot and to the other 3 add 2 garlic cloves on each. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with 1 tablespoon each of the salt and freshly cracked pepper. Roast in the hot oven until very tender and starting to caramelize and collapse, approximately 1 hour. Remove from oven and when cool enough to handle, remove the squash from the skin. Reserve the roasted shallots and garlic with the squash. Can be done ahead.
• In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat and when the butter is starting to foam, add the raw diced shallots and saute until they are starting to caramelize, about 5 to 6 minutes. Deglaze with 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and stir to remove any fond. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the reserved squash, roasted shallots and garlic and then the remaining chicken stock. Stir to combine, then puree with a stick blender. The mixture will be very thick. Add in the cayenne, white pepper and the herbs. Stir in the cream and Worcestershire sauce and heat slowly over medium-low heat. When the mixture comes to a slow simmer, mix again with the stick blender and stir in 1/4 cup of the Parmesan and turn heat to low. Serve with a fresh crack of black pepper, a nice drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a light sprinkle of remaining Parmesan. Ladle into soup bowls and serve.

ROASTED ACORN SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Put squash into a baking dish with the cut side down. Pour enough water into the baking dish to cover the bottom.
• Bake in preheated oven until the flesh of the squash is easily pricked with a fork, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool until squash can be handled. Scoop flesh into a bowl and set aside.
• Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Cook onion, carrot, and garlic in melted butter until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour chicken stock into the pot; add the squash.
• Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
• Pour mixture into a blender no more than half full. Cover and hold lid down; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Puree in batches until smooth and return to pot.
• Stir half-and-half, nutmeg, and cinnamon through the blended soup; season with salt and pepper. Thin the soup with water if desired.

APRICOT-GINGER ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cut squash lengthwise in half; remove seeds. Cut a thin slice from bottoms to level if desired. Place in a greased 11x7-in. baking dish, cut side up., Mix remaining ingredients; spoon over squash. Bake, covered, 45 minutes. Uncover; bake until tender, 15-20 minutes.

EASY HUBBARD SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Cut squash in half and scoop out guts, reserve seeds for pepitas if desired.
• Coat open face of squash with oil and roast at 350°F skin side up on a baking sheet liberally coated with non stick spray, until a paring knife gives little resistance when gently pushed through the largest part of the squash (about 45-75 mins, depending on size of squash).
• (Check squash at 35 mins, and in 20 min intervals following.).
• Put fresh herbs in cheesecloth so they are easy to remove later.
• Chop celery and onions.
• In a large saucepan, stock pot, or instant pot, sautee celery and onions in butter with fresh herbs until cooked through. Add 1 tsp salt and pepper to taste.
• Remove herbs from celery and onions.
• Add vegetable stock to cooked celery and onion mix. (Keep on low until squash is roasted).
• Remove squash from oven and allow to cool for 15 mins.
• Scoop squash from peel and place in stock with celery and onions.
• Use immersion blender until smooth.
• (If you don't have an immersion blender, a stand blender will work, but requires a bit more work and a second pot to transfer your soup to. Blend squash into soup 1/3 at a time, and transfer all soup to one pot. Pot to blender to pot back and forth, until soup is smooth and consistent.).
• Add 1/2 cup of half and half.
• Cook for at least 90 minutes.
• Serve with a tsp of heavy whipping cream in the center of the bowl, and top with a few pepitas.
• Pepitas: thouroughly rinse and clean seeds from squash. Lay flat on a foil lined baking sheet liberally coated with non-stick spray. Salt and pepper to taste. Roast at 350°F for 15-20 mins or until golden brown.

CURRIED SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place squash cut side down in a greased or foil-lined baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 40-50 minutes or until tender. When cool enough to handle, scoop out pulp; set aside., In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the flour, salt, curry powder and cayenne until blended. Stir in broth. Add bay leaf. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Cool to room temperature., In a blender, combine half of the broth mixture and squash; cover and process until smooth. Repeat with remaining broth mixture and squash. Return to the saucepan; heat through. Combine the topping ingredients; place a dollop on each serving.

EASY APRICOT SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• blend everything and simmer until warm or begins bubbling.
• enjoy!

SPICY APRICOT SQUASH MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups.
• Whisk flour, oat bran, ginger, baking powder, and baking soda together in a bowl.
• Place butternut squash into a pot with just enough water to almost cover the squash; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and mash squash with a potato masher until smooth.
• Mix squash and apricot jam together in a bowl.
• Whisk cream, sugar, and eggs into the squash mixture until light and creamy; stir into flour mixture until just combined. Pour batter into each muffin cup, filling each cup to about 3/4-full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Cool muffins in muffin cups before removing.