Warm up with homemade BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Warm up with this classic family soup! Pair it with a sourdough, prosciutto grilled cheese sandwich for an ultimate treat. After one bite, I know this will become a fall favorite of yours.


Ingredients:

1/2 medium butternut squash -- roasted, skin discarded
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 pound carrots, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 two-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
4 cups water or chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon. salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, stirring until the onion turns translucent. Pour in the water or chicken broth, and add squash, carrots, and ginger. Bring the mixture to a boil, and cook for at 30-40 minutes, or until the carrots and ginger are tender.

Use an immersion blender or a counter-top model to puree the mixture. Boiling water can be added if necessary to thin the soup, but this is meant to be a thick creamy soup. Pour the soup back into the saucepan and heat thoroughly. Season with salt, pepper and cinnamon.

Ladle the soup into a tureen or serving bowls, and pour a thin swirl of cream over the top as a garnish.

The Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients:

4 slices sourdough bread
1/2 cup basil pesto
4 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese (6-8, ¼" thick slices)
4 thin slices prosciutto
one large ripe tomato (roma or heirloom)
dash of sea salt
1/4 tsp. dried crushed or ground red pepper
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. butter
large ovenproof skillet & lid

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly butter one side of each bread slice.

Place two bread slices, buttered side down, on the skillet surface. Top one with pesto. Top the other with two cheese slices, then two prosciutto slices. Sprinkle with salt and crushed red pepper.

Add three tomato slices atop the prosciutto, the flip the pesto slice on top, slice in half and serve.