Butternut squash and apple soup

Man, I think, is a creature of habit, conditioning and comfort...Most of our actions and reactions can be attributed to one of the three ...From early morning coffee/ tea rituals to work habits to raising kids, we always fall back upon that which is familiar to us...thoughts and actions that are known to work, that have worked for us in the past..If nothing else works, there is always food to rely on !!! Food, always works :-D
With a chill in the air now, there is nothing like that morning cup of hot coffee or tea that gives us the incentive to get out from under the warmth of the comforters ...and nothing like a steaming bowl of flavourful soup that has comfort written all over it...I find that a bowl of hearty soup paired with either a salad or bread can keep one quite happy until the next meal of the day !
Now that I am home full time, the likes of Paula Deen and Rachel Ray have one more viewer to consume their offerings ! I saw this recipe for Butternut squash soup in one episode of the Barefoot Contessa and decided to try it out. I had never used butternut squash before and had no idea what the vegetable tasted like..I made minor modifications to the recipe, not as a matter of personal choice but because of pantry limitations..


Butternut Squash and Apple Soup




Ingredients:

1 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoons good olive oil
1 large chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 medium butternut squash
1 sweet apple
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups water

Method:

1. Warm the butter, olive oil, onions, and curry powder in a large stockpot uncovered over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are tender.
2. Peel the squash, cut in half, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into chunks. Peel the apple and dice it.
3. Add the squash, apple, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the squash and apples are very soft.
4. Cool the mixture slightly and puree it in a food processor or blender.
5. Pour the soup back into the pot. Add more water to adjust the consistency.
6. Check for seasonings and adjust, if required.

Verdict:
The soup turned out to be rich and thick, a little on the sweeter side because of the apple and the squash...there is no added sugar in the recipe..The original recipe required the addition of apple juice too, but I omitted that. The curry powder balanced out the sweetness...I liked the soup a lot...I paired it up with some bread and made a hearty lunch out of it...The soup tasted even better the next day. The Husband however had mixed feelings because he doesn't like his soups to be sweet...well...another day, another soup might do it for him !!
But I definitely liked it and will make it again (Now if only I can find somebody to peel that squash for me ..If I can get someone to do it for me, the words 'eternally grateful' will feature predominantly in the conversation !! )

Trivia:

• The taste of a butternut squash is similar to that of a sweet potato.
• The oranger the color of the squash, the riper, drier and sweeter it is.
• Butternut's deep-orange flesh is richer in complex carbohydrates and beta-carotene. Butternut squash is also a very good source of dietary fiber, and supplies vitamin C, magnesium, manganese, and a good amount of potassium.
• This vegetable is very low in saturated Fat, cholesterol and sodium.
• It is also a good source of Vitamin E, Thiamine, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium and a very good source of Vitamin A