Butternut Squash Soup

Originally posted at: 

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/208092/best-butternut-squash-soup-ever/

Ingredients:

1.5T butter

1/2 onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1/2 butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes

4 cups chicken stock

1/2 cube chicken bouillon

1 pinch ground cumin

1 pinch ground allspice

salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat; cook the onion, garlic, and thyme in the hot butter until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Add the squash and chicken stock; bring to a simmer and cook until the squash is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Crumble the bouillon into the soup; season with cumin, allspice, salt, and pepper; remove from heat.

Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway. Hold the lid of the blender in place with a kitchen towel and carefully start the blender using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a serving bowl. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup in the pot.

Hot Mama Grade: B+

Hot Mama Notes: This soup is good. I like it's flavor even though I want able to replicate the exact ingredients. I only had one 14.5 oz can of chicken broth, so the balance of the 4c was water. I also had no bouillon cubes. Despite this, I feel the soup was tasty. I think it you make it as directed, it probably has a richer flavor. Also, I used the whole butternut squash, not just half. And I cooked it first in the microwave because I find it easier to scoop out cooked squash than to peel and cube raw squash to Sautee (that sounds like a nightmare!). I also didn't have fresh thyme so I used dried. I sprinkled some in. I probably used too much (oops). It definitely has a strong thyme flavor. In the future I would try to make it as directly so less thymey and younger with hair a squash (or more broth). Otherwise, this is a good simple, easy, relatively quicj recipe that I plan to make again. :). I also used olive oil to Sautee the onion & garlic. 

Red Lentil Soup

Original Recipe at: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lentil-Soup-with-Lemon/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=red%20lentils&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page&soid=sr_results_p1i1

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
• 
  

• 1 (32 ounce) carton chicken broth
• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 
  
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
• 1 pinch chili powder

Directions:

1. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and cook until the onion has turned golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, kosher salt, black pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon of chili powder. Cook and stir 2 minutes more until the spices are fragrant.
2. Stir in the chicken broth, lentils, and carrot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 30 minutes.
3. Pour half of the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot. Do not puree all of the soup, leave it a little chunky.
4. Stir in the lemon juice and cilantro, then season to taste with salt. Drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of chili powder to serve.

Hot Mama Notes: This soup is very tasty!  I made the following changes to it.  I didn't have any tomato paste, so I used a 15 oz can of diced tomatoes instead.  I know, not really a similar substitution given the volume!  To compensate, I used 1.5 cups of lentils to suck up all the extra fluid.  This worked really well.  Plus, I used two 14.5 oz cans of chicken broth instead of a 32 oz box, so some of the extra liquid went there, too.  :)  I never did add the lemon juice or cilantro at the end, even though I had both items.  I did not put anything in the blender since I am lazy.  I don't mind a chunkier soup.  This soup is very good.  I will definitely make it again!!! :)  Easy and tasty and healthy, you just can't beat that!! :)

Hot Mama Grade: A