Rolling Into Fall with 2 Great Recipes

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.