Soup & nuts....well not really nuts but thats what my house is like today

Ask and ye shall receive :) Quick and easy soups, 30 minute meals and well desserts, they'll have to wait (sorry Tiffany-Anne)But Ash I do have a great gingerbread recipe I'll post soon! This weeks soups were inspired by a blog I found Taste and Tell I HEART this blog! I hope you do too!



Monday - Curried Butternut Squash soup

Tuesday - French Onion Bread Soup

Wednesday - Butter chicken, and Naan bread (both from the Presidents Choice Blue Label)

Thursday - Honey Cornbread Muffins & Quick Homemade Tomato Soup

Friday - Leftovers / Clean out the fridge night

Saturday- Christmas Party

Sunday -Pork tenderloin marinated in PC's Kobe marinade, with baby bok choi and couscous (sounds fancy SO EASY)


Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Found at Serious Eats (original recipe from Ellie Krieger)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch cubes
6 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
6 teaspoons curry powder
2 tablespoon honey
Salt and pepper
  
Directions
Heat the oil over medium heat and add the garlic and onion. Cook until soft, but not brown.
Add the butternut squash, stock, and curry powder. Bring to boil, then lower to simmer. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, or until the butternut squash is soft. Turn off the heat. Pour in the honey.
Using an immersion blender, puree into smooth. If you don't have one, then process in your blender in batches. Ladle into bowls.


French Onion Bread Soup
Adapted from Every Day with Rachael Ray March 2008

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds onions, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups beef broth
1/2 baguette, cut into small cubes
2 cups shredded gruyere or monterey jack

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450°. In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper, lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until the onions are caramelized, about 45 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook for 3 minutes. Add the beef broth, reduce the heat to low and cover the saucepan.

Divide half of the bread cubes among four small ovenproof bowls and cover each with 1/4 cup cheese. Divide the soup among the bowls, then top with the remaining bread and cheese. Set the bowls on a baking sheet and bake until the cheese is bubbling, about 10 minutes.

Honey Cornbread Muffins
Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 can whole kernel sweet corn, drained

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease or line 12 muffin cups.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together butter, sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add honey, eggs and salt. In a small bowl whisk together flour, cornmeal and baking powder. Mix into butter mixture. Stir in milk and corn. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Quick Homemade Tomato Soup (courtesy of Canadian Living)

Ingredients
2  tbsp vegetable oil
2onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can stewed tomatoes
3 cups  vegetable stock or chicken stock
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4  tsp pepper

Directions:
In saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook onions and garlic, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add tomatoes, stock, tomato paste and pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Using immersion blender or in blender, puree reheat if necessary.