KISS – Keep It Simple Silly

Big news, I had my first article posted on another blog site! My current employer The Chopping Block, has given me the opportunity to write a monthly article. Want to know what organic foods you should by, check out The Organic Debate.

Well the Holidays are in full force and I found it easy to slip back into my hosting routine. The changes I do see are that while I like to come up with elaborate food events in my head based on budget and lack of time the mantra “KISS” has to be repeated over and over… Keep It Simply Silly (made some change to make it positive). While keeping it simple definitely limits the stress and maximizes my socializing time, it does take work to stay on track. With that in mind I thought I would start posting some easy fun Thanksgiving Food options for those who may need an extra side dish or some Vegan alternatives.

Our simple menu for my Halloween dinner party consisted of:

 – Roasted Apple and Butternut Squash Soup

– Arugula Salad with Apples and Celery

– Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Our simple menu for the Bi-Election Party consisted of: 

– Italian Comfort Popcorn (not vegan, but it one the vote that night, its simple – plain popcorn, olive oil, salt, fresh ground pepper and freshly grated parmesan cheese, it one in a landslide) 

– Coconut Curry Carmel Corn 

– Mama Emmy Lou’s Special Spaghetti Sauce (it’s a secret for now)

– Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Carmel Frosting (this recipe is still a work in progress)

Stay tuned for some Thanksgiving specialties and if you have any requests I’m up for a cooking challenge.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

I dropped my first Thanksgiving Turkey on the floor. It was a very dramatic drop, the turkey and all the brining liquid exploded from the bottom of trash bag they were in as I was trying to move it from the sink to the refrigerator. The crashing flood of brining liquids and turkey had me yelling at my roommate for help as she stood over me laughing. It was my very first Thanksgiving away from home and my sister and cousin were coming to join in the festivities. I wanted everything to be perfect and in my first cooking act the turkey was on the floor. This years cooking blunders where not as dramatic but included trying to make vegan pastry dough and although my creation looked nothing like the picture, I’ve learned in the kitchen you can’t control it all and you have to go with the flow.

Going with the flow is my holiday wish. As you may know I try to be a perfectionist in the kitchen and in every other way during the holiday season, my tree, my treats even my wrapping leaves for sleepless nights and ultimately I realize too late that I didn’t sit back and enjoy the season. I think it is hard for everyone to find balance this time of year. I always hear people complain that they eat too much, drink too much and exercise too little; this ultimately leads to the inevitable New Years wish of dieting, which crashes and burns by the 5^th of January. Rather than eating your way through the next five weeks, why don’t you find some balance between the sweetly festive treats and this delicious, healthy, but I promise, tasty soup. Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple soup has an explosion of flavor that will make your tongue smile. The hint of garlic mixed with the slightly sweet tone from the apple and the smooth creaminess of the butternut squash will only make you want more and you can indulge as much as you like.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Serves 6-8

          1 Butternut Squash

         2 ½ Honey Crisp or Red type Apples

         1 Yellow Onion

         4 ½ cups Vegetable Broth

         1 teaspoon Salt

         1 tablespoon Cinnamon

         2 cloves Garlic

         1 15 ounce can Cannellini Beans

         ½ cup Organic Apple Juice

         1 teaspoon Curry Powder

         ¼ teaspoon Garam Marsala

1. Preheat oven at 400 degrees

2. Cut off the skin of the Butternut Squash and cut into cubes
 (Butternut Squash can be difficult to cut into. I reccomend peeling the squash first and then cut the squash in half and scoop the seeds out of the bottom of the squash before you start to cut squash into cubes)

3. Peal and core Apple and cut up into cubes


4. Roughly chop Onion
 

5. Place Butternut Squash, Apple and Onion in glass

Pyrex dish and add 1/2 cup Vegetable Broth, Cinnamon and Salt

6. Roast Veggies and Apple covered under foil for 30 minutes, after 30 minutes remove foil and cook for another 10 to 20 minutes or until soft

7. In a food processor combine can of Cannellini Beans drained and rinsed, two cloves of Garlic and Apple Juice, mix until smooth

8. Add in scoops of the roasted Veggie mix in batches and mix until smooth

9. Once everything is mixed move to a pot and add in 3 to 4 cups of Vegetable Broth, adjust broth depending on how thick you like the soup, heat and serve

10. Add cranberries or pumpkin seeds as a garnish to the soup for more flavor

Now I am going to set up my tree and then sit back and enjoy the twinkle of the white lights and the comforting smell of pine coming from the candle rather than my fake tree, the lights come pre-strung, see I am already starting to let go!