Roasted Garlic & Butternut Squash Soup

Having family over is a great thing!

But when your family comprises of amazing cooks – it can only mean one thing for the long-ignored unfit body. I won’t elaborate – but 3 weeks of elaborate treats and thanksgiving like meals calls for soup week!

S and I made this soup yesterday, and hope to continue to 'wing' it in the kitchen and create fun soups for dinner!

1-2 Garlic pods finely diced

3/4^th of a Big Yellow Onion finely diced

1 Butternut Squash cubed

1 oz unsalted butter

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tsp Sage

2 tsp Red Chilli Powder

1 tsp Kitchen King Masala

2 cups Vegetable Stock

1 cup Water

Pumpkin Seeds (optional)

·         Preheat the oven to 425F and prepare a pan with aluminum foil

·         Melt 0.5 oz butter in a large pan and toss the cubed butternut squash pieces in the butter to coat them mildly. Transfer to prepared pan and sprinkle salt and pepper and place in the oven for 20 minutes (or until pieces are soft and emit a nice aroma)

·         In a large saucepan melt the remaining butter, and roast the garlic and onions until brown

·         Add the roasted butternut squash once done; and mix in all the spices and let it sweat for a few minutes

·         Add veg stock and water and allow the contents to boil. You may mash the squash with a ladle as it becomes tender.

·         Allow to cool mildly and use a hand mixer or blender to puree. Add water if you like the soup to be thinner in consistency

·         Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds and enjoy with a garlic toast!

Chocolate Fever

Chocolate Fever

This was a special recipe for B, but she shared all the alcoholic drinks with me and we never got down to making this one!

Irish Cream – 1.5 Measures

Coffee Vodka – 0.5 Measures

Amaretto – 0.1 Measures

Soda – 0.2 Measures

Stir together, line with chocolate sauce and serve chilled!

Orang-A-Tang

Orang-A-Tang (right)

This was a generic drink for the table. Very similar to bling a long and hippie chic with slight differences!

Vodka – 1.5 Measures

Triple Sec – 0.25 Measures

Orange Juice – 1 Measure

Lime Juice – 0.25 Measures

Maraschino Cherry Juice – 0.5 Measures

Soda – 1 Measure

Mix together, pouring Maraschino Cherry at the end, so it settles at the bottom!

Bling-A-Long

Bling-A-Long (Left)

For the lil one in the group that loves everything bling – I used some unique ingredients that don’t quite blend together and stand out with their unique flavors. Here’s to H !

Silver Tequila – 2 Measures

Triple Sec – 0.2 Measures

Fruit Punch – 0.2 Measures

Orange Juice – 0.2 Measures

Peach Juice – 0.2 Measures

Mango Juice – 0.2 Measures

Mix together, and pour into a tall martini glass. Decorate with red cherries and serve!

Pucker Up & Spiked Cucu

Pucker Up (Right)

For the sweetest amongst the lot flying in from Minnesota – I had to make a super sweet drink (nonalcoholic ofcourse!) Here’s to R, pucker up!

Fruit Punch – 1.5 Measures

Ginger Ale – 1 Measure

Lemon Concentrate – 0.5 Measures

Mint Leaves

Stir together, and drop the mint leaves in. Let rest for a few minutes before serving!

Spiked Cucu (Left)

For the lady with a hugely successful food blog – a drink without spices wouldn’t do! So I made this pleasing cucumber drink that has a little spicy kick! This is to SS, affectionately called Gandy! Visit her blog here: www.thefoodoverip.com

1 Cucumber – Chopped roughly and crushed to extract the juices

Soda – 1 Measure

Mint Leaves

Lemon Pepper Powder – 1 teaspoon

Line the glass using a lemon wedge to wet the rim. Dip into a plate with lemon pepper salt to line the rim. Stir together ingredients and strain into a glass. Add the Mint Leaves and serve cold!

 

You can make these alcoholic by adding a bit of Tequila to both!