Erica M Photography »

It doesn’t quite feel like fall yet here in New Mexico but I can’t resist making this soup no matter the time of year. I can’t take credit for the recipe though, I got it from a friend who got it from a friend who got it from a cousin, so it’s probably been tweaked a little with each passing. Here’s the way I make it :)

Butternut Squash Soup

2 medium butternut squash
1 apple
4 tbs butter
2 medium onions
1 ½ tsp curry powder
4 tbs flour
Pinch of ground nutmeg
3 tsp better than bouillon paste, or 3 vegetable stock cubes
3 c boiling water
2 c milk
1 ½ tsp salt

Cut the squash in half long ways, scoop out the seeds, and discard them (or you can clean them and bake them with a little salt or seasoning for a snack!). Put the squash cut side down in a 9×13” baking pan with an inch of water and bake at 400º F for about an hour, or until soft enough to scoop out the insides.

Wait a little to start this next part since the squash takes a while to cook. (Insert time-lapse music here…)

Peel, core and chop the apple. Peel the onions and chop roughly. In a large pot on medium heat melt the butter and then sauté the chopped onions. Add the curry powder. Add the apple and cook until apples and onions are soft. Add the flour and nutmeg and fry lightly. After it has cooled or while using an oven mitt, scoop the squash out of its skin and into the pot.

Dissolve the vegetable stock in the boiling water. Add the stock, milk, and salt, to the squash mixture. Once everything is warm, ladle the soup in batches into a blender and purée until smooth. Once the batch is done pour it into a large mixing bowl until everything in the pot has been puréed. Return the soup to the pot to keep it hot.

Serving suggestions: I like to pair this soup with fresh buttered bread, slices of a good cheese like havarti dill, and some apple or pear slices. You can serve a side salad with goat cheese, apple or pear slices, pecans, craisins, and balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Or you can simply sprinkle goat cheese on top of the already creamy soup for added luxury ;) Enjoy!

Jamie and I met the day we moved in together our senior year of college and instantly bonded over food. We are both vegetarians, love to cook, and love to eat. My trips to visit Jamie in Maine revolve around what and where we are going to eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, ice cream, beer, wine, cocktails…and my local Portland favorite, honey mead. And I’m completely okay with that ;) Because we walked almost everywhere, I didn’t feel so guilty.

One morning Jaime asked me if I wanted to go out for breakfast or make iced chai, cardamom pancakes with cashew cream and strawberries, and a curried egg scramble. Um, I don’t know how that line up sounds to you, but it sounded nothing short of amazing to me. And it was.

Iced Chai, individual serving

1/2 tsp whole cloves
1/2 tsp whole peppercorns
1 tsp cardamom seeds
1 tsp black tea leaves
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 c water
ice
milk

Grind first 3 spices with mortal and pestle.
Combine spices in saucepan with tealeaves, cinnamon and water.
Bring to a boil. Steep for 3 minutes. Add 1 tsp honey.
Pour through a strainer over ice. Fill the glass the rest of the way with milk.

Cardamom Pancakes

1 1/2 cups flour (can be mix of whole wheat & white)
3 tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c whole milk
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 tbsp melted butter, plus more for the griddle
1 scant tbs ground cardamom

Mix dry ingredients. Add wet.
Fry up on hot buttered griddle.

Cashew Cream

3/4 c cashews
1/4 c rose water
1/2 c water

Combine cashews and rose water in food processor. Add water a little at a time for desired constancy.
Top pancakes with cashew cream and fresh strawberries.

Curried Egg Scramble

4 eggs
1/2 cold water
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp evoo
1/2 c onion, diced
1/2 c spinach, fresh or frozen
fresh cilantro for garnish

Combine eggs, water, curry, salt. Wisk.
Heat oil in pan. Sauté onions. Add spinach. Cook.
Add eggs. Continue to cook until eggs are done.
Garnish generously with cilantro.

Nothing short of amazing. I’m actually surprised Jaime could refrain from devouring it while I took this photo ;)

Fred turned 26 Sunday. He asked me to make him a chocolate cake with vanilla frosting. And sprinkles. I love how this man can be so serious and mature and then turn around and ask for sprinkles. Love it. So I set out to make the best chocolate cake ever. Which of course, I did. Seriously, this cake was goooood. And super moist. My fav.

Double Chocolate Layer Cake, from Gourmet

3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee (Don’t be alarmed, your cake won’t taste like coffee – it enhances the flavor of the chocolate)
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 300°F. Line bottoms of pans with rounds of parchement paper. (I used a spring-form pan so I just closed the pan with the paper inserted, see below.) Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. (I only had one pan so I estimated what half the batter looked like.)

Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove parchment paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

Creamy Vanilla Frosting, More from Magnolia

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a medium-size saucepan, whisk the flour into the milk until smooth. Place over medium heat and, stirring constantly, cook until the mixture becomes very thick and begins to bubble, 10-15 minutes. Cover with waxed paper placed directly on the surface and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

In a large bowl, on the medium high speed of an electric mixer, beat the butter for 3 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar, beating continuously for 3 minutes until fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat well. Add the cooled milk mixture, and continue to beat on the medium high speed for 5 minutes, until very smooth and noticeably whiter in color. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes (no less and no longer—set a timer!). Use immediately.

Then you frost the cake and cover the counter, floor, and cake with sprinkles. Light the candles. Sing Happy Birthday in your bestest loudest off key voice. Give your hubby a kiss and tell him you are thankful he was born :)