Week 3: Soup

Winter Squash Soup with Gruyere Croutons

Wintertime is a great time to make soup at least once a week. My wife and I have been doing soup about that often this year. This week I chose to make a winter squash soup from smittenkitchen.com.

Now, I am a recovering squash-aversionist. Ever since my mother served me zucchini boats when I was 6, I have held the line against all things squash-like. I began to change my mind when my wife said she liked zucchini and wanted me to cook it. Since then I have become a convert to spaghetti squash. But acorn squash has still been an absolute enemy. I can now say, if I make it, it isn't bad.

Best thing about soups is that they are soooo easy.

Taking a hot bath.

 Here is another note for anyone with s registry ahead of them. I never thought that a blender was necessary to own.  I refuse to drink frozen alcoholic beverages so what's the point? Instead we registered for, what I call, a "motorboat." My wife and the rest of the world call it an immersion blender. I used it to make a bathtub of squash into a soup. (It also makes it easy to make your own mayo or other emulsions, like toasted sesame vinaigrette).

These are gonna be fantastic!

 I hate that my oven has a dedicated broiler. Almost all recipes are written as if your broiler is the top-most part of your oven. I wish it were so.

Winter Squash Soup with Gruyere Croutons, served with Ribeye and Spinach Salad.  Not a bad Thursday dinner.

This soup was delicious. I will definitely make it again.

Recipe available from source.

Week 2: Chinese (addendum)  - Potstickers (cooked)

As an added bonus, I present the completed, cooked, and yummy potsticker photos. For those that missed it, I made moo goo gai pan and potstickers for week 2, but didn't get a chance to cook the potstickers until Monday. Here they are:

I'm going to be embarrassed when you all see my crappy dumpling making skills.

I am not embarrassed by how awesome these were.

For the dipping sauce I just mixed some soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar together. If you have black vinegar laying around, use that. If you have ginger laying around, grate some in there too.

Recipe available from source.