Retroactive Crocktober plan

In preparation for the busy week ahead (who am I kidding, they are always busy weeks) I planned the following for my tribute to Crocktober:

Butternut squash & sage soup, plus white bean and rosemary bruschetta

Orange chicken + rice

Chipotle red bean & sweet potato chili

Lentil soup (I think I’ll add some cumin and lemon – and may leave out the Canadian bacon.  We’ll see though.)

Mongolian beef + rice

I’m sneaking this one in just under the wire to meet the Kitchen Play deadline – but I want to win the fancy-pants cookware from Sur La Table!  So tonight, we’re having the butternut squash & sage soup with some white bean and rosemary bruschetta – originally posted by the very talented Maris of In Good Taste.

I thought it would be a good riff on soup & sandwich for a cold Halloween evening.

Butternut squash & sage soup, inspired by this recipe.

1 TB olive oil

3 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cubed

4 C  stock (chicken or vegetable, I used chicken)

20 fresh sage leaves, divided

Now our sage plant looks like a child that has been given a terrible home haircut…

2 sprigs fresh thyme

0.25 tsp ground nutmeg

Salt & pepper

2 tsp. butter

Turn slow cooker on high and add olive oil, onion, and garlic.  Let cook for a few minutes until fragrant.

Add squash, stock, thyme, nutmeg, and 10 of the sage leaves (crumbled to release the oils).  Cover and cook on low 4 to 6 hours, or until squash is very tender.

Remove the thyme sticks (and the sage if you like).  Blend with a stick blender, or in batches in a regular blender.  Add some additional stock if the soup is too thick. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Warm butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Fry sage leaves until slightly browned around the edges and crisp; drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with kosher salt.  Serve soup garnished with fried sage leaves.

And also adorable bruschetta.  We didn’t have fig balsamic as recommended, so I bought some figs instead and served them on the bruschetta, and drizzled the whole thing with some balsamic reduction.

Yum.