Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from our home to yours.

Wishing you a joyful and prosperous 2011

A work in progress...

Her'es what I have so far, laid out on my coffee table. Can you guess what I'm making?? Shh... don't tell my husband. I'm trying really hard to get it done in time for Christmas, although with everything I have to do to get ready for 2 parties, it doesn't look likely =(

What's your guess?

Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

If you love soups like I do... you've got to try this recipe! I got it from Taste of Home's Healthy cooking (one of my favorite magazines) and it is just delicious!

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash (about 3lb)

1 medium onion chopped

1 Tbsp canola oil

1 Tbsp curry powder

2 garlic cloves minced

2 tsp fresh gingerroot minced

1 tsp salt

4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

4 medium pears, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

balsamic vinegar and snipped chives for garnish

1 cut squash in half, discard seeds (I roasted mine with olive oil and salt, yum!) place face down on baking pan and bake on 400 for 40-50 minutes or until soft. cool slightly, scoop out pulp and set aside.

2. in a pot or dutch oven saute the onion in the oil until tender. add the curry, garlic, ginger and salt; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, pears, and squash. bring to a boil. reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes.

3. in a blender (or using a hand-held one like I did) process the soup in batches until smooth. Return to pot, add cream and heat through. Top with balsamic (highly recommend this, it complements the flavor really well) and snipped chives if desired.

Here's a picture of the soup on our Thanksgiving table:

Trust me, you will not be disappointed!

Nutrition facts (in case you're curious): serving = 3/4 cup. 190 cal, 8g fat, 18mg cholesterol, 527 mg sodium, 29g carbs, 7g fiber, 4g protein.