Now that the days are getting shorter and the nights cooler,
we're thinking it's about time to dust off those fall recipes. We've hit our
books and found two great starters to ease us into the season. These are
perfect for sitting by a warm fire with those you love most. Feel free to post
your success stories in the comments. We hope you enjoy!
Roasted
Butternut Squash Soup with Apples & Bacon
Ingredients:
3 lbs. butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt & ground black pepper to taste
8 strips bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
6 stalks celery, chopped
6 carrots, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 Tsp. curry powder
1 Tsp. dried thyme
1 Granny Smith apple - peeled, cored, and cubed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup apple cider
1 1/2 Q chicken stock
1/2 Tsp. ground nutmeg
1 1/2 C sour cream
Directions:
1.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place squash in a
large bowl and drizzle with olive oil; mix to coat; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Spread squash into a single layer on a baking pan. Roast the squash in the
preheated oven, turning once, until fork-tender and caramelized; 30-40 minutes.
2.
Place the bacon in Dutch oven and cook over
medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes.
Remove the bacon slices to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the drippings
in the pan.
3.
Place the onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf, curry
powder, thyme, and salt and pepper in the Dutch over; cook in reserved bacon
drippings until the carrots and celery are soft. Mix in the apples and cooked
squash and cook another 5 minutes. Stir the garlic into the mixture and cook
another 1 minute. Pour the apple cider over the mixture; reduce heat to
medium-low and bring to a simmer; allow to reduce about half its original
volume. Stir in the chicken stock; simmer over medium-low heat for about 20
minutes.
4.
Puree the soup in small batches in a blender, or
use an immersion blender. Stir the nutmeg into the soup. Garnish each bowl with
1 Tbsp. of sour cream and some of the bacon pieces to serve.
*Makes about 12 cups
Pumpkin
Roll
Ingredients:
3 eggs,
beaten
1 C white
sugar
2/3 C
pumpkin puree
1 Tbsp.
lemon juice
2/3 C
self-rising flour
2 Tsp.
ground cinnamon
1 Tsp.
ground nutmeg
1 Tsp.
ground ginger
1 C
confectioners’ sugar
¼ C
butter, softened
8 ounce
package cream cheese
1 Tsp.
vanilla extract
Directions:
1.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter or grease
one 10x15 inch jelly roll pan.
2.
In a mixing bowl, beat together eggs, sugar,
pumpkin, and lemon juice.
3.
Sift together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and
ginger. Add to wet ingredients and mix well. Spread into pan and bake for 15 to
20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle.
4.
Remove cake from pan and place on tea towel
(cotton, not terry cloth). Roll up the cake by rolling a towel inside cake and
place seam side down to cool.
5.
Prepare the frosting by blending together the
sugar, butter, cream cheese and vanilla.
6.
Before completely cool, unroll cake and spread
with cream cheese filling and roll up again without towel. Wrap with plastic
wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar
and slice into 8 to 10 servings.
