Saturday Night Squash Soup
I’ve just now realized it’s Halloween weekend and I’m home on a Saturday night in a solo soup slurping contest with myself.
3 reasons to stay in, stay safe and Saturday night soup when you’re 38:
It’s miserable out, my best friend is pregnant and my other best friend is likely napping. My squad is real reliable.
I’m still awake, and I didn’t fall asleep as I type from my blanket fort while wearing a hooded sweatshirt nightgown and sip on mint tea. I’m meeting some serious personal goals right now.
Practical Magic or Hocus Pocus have gotta be streaming somewhere …
Soup is my life and my life is a soup of uncertainty at the current moment. Of late I’ve been a little sad in my heart and I’m sitting with things like: Why is dating difficult? Is asking for communication asking for too much? Am I crazy to think I deserve the same friendship from a man as I get from my best lady friends? Is dating not about friendship? Should I be out in a scantily clad costume right now? Did I even shave today? How much longer can I work 2 jobs? Was cutting the squash on my own worth it, or should I have purchased the pre-cut one? If I keep wearing hooded nightgowns/puppy pajamas and staying in on Saturday nights eating soup, will it continue to be difficult to date? What if I switch to take out and the delivery guy who shows up is Patrick Dempsey Loverboy handsome - and it turns out he has a thing for goofy brunette women in nightgowns/puppy pajamas? AND HE’S INTO SOUP?!
Today I was feeling quiet and chill; not much like working for my meal but looking to do 1 thing that would go the mile this week while I teach, work on lessons, go to class and prep for cooking with my client on Friday. I was staring down a big, bold, bumpy squash I’ve had on my butcher block and thought it was time for it to meet a good broth and boil. The best part about this style of soup is that:
1) you can use any root veggie
2) you can even go cauliflower or broccoli
3) you can buy all the pre-cut stuff and it’ll come out just the same because you don’t need to be a hero and cut everything yourself - we don’t need another hero.
Yum, heroes.
I wonder if a man exists who accepts my love for Saturday nights in, pajamas and wants to eat heroes with me and watch The Godfather? I digress.
Back to soup.
The soup recipe is below, since I know that’s all you want dear reader. No one reads anymore. It’s a shame.
Get the recipe and know you can really flavor bang this soup by topping it with a spicy cilantro sauce and a hit of Mike’s Hot Honey should you dare to make your palate dance on a Saturday night. And the recipe for my special sauce is below too …
I also typed some old lady tips for freezing and storing soup so you can eat like a queen or king all winter long.
Much love.
xo
*Wanna make this vegetarian? Swap the chicken stock for veggie.
*Are you riding the vegan train? Swap the chicken stock for veggie and the butter for Earth Balance so you keep that creamy consistency present in the soup.
Squash Soup
4 cups of pharsi, kabocha or butternut squash, cubed
2 medium onions, chopped
3 tablespoons of butter
4 cups chicken or veggie stock
Salt + freshly ground black pepper
Hit of smoked paprika if you have it, it’s a game changer
Place butter, onions and maple syrup in a stock pot and sauté until onions are fragrant - sprinkle with salt and black pepper
Add squash and turn
Pour in stock and bring to a simmer
Lower, cover pot and continue to cook for 39 minutes until squash is soft
Purée in high speed blender or with hand held immersion
Cilantro Sauce
1 bunch of cilantro
3 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
Juice of a whole lime
1 jalapeno
Salt
1/3 c olive oil
Place all ingredients in a food processor and taste the magic
Use to top soup, layer on a sandwich, spoon on cheese or eat it off of a spoon - I’m not judging
How to freeze?
I like freezing my soup so I have a little something something for later on in the week or a meal for a late night that may come about in a few weeks.
To save space in my freezer, and because I’m eating single, I store my soup in ziplock baggies and freeze. This method of ziplock love keeps portions down to one, saves space in the freezer and defrosts quickly in a pinch. I usually keep some soup in mason jars for use during the week, but if it’s not going by day 3 or 4, then into a ziplock and the freezer it goes.