Butternut Squash Soup

Alas, I am not a cook. My strength lies in baking, but I mustered up the courage to make one of my favorite soups: Butternut Squash Soup. It's relatively easy to make, but it takes a long time to prepare.


Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 package of baby carrots
  
• 2 medium potatoes, cubed
• 1 medium butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed
• 1 (14 fluid ounce) container chicken stock
• 14 fluid ounce of water
• 1 (14 fluid ounce) container of tomato sauce
  
• garlic salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Pour the olive oil in a large pot, and cook the onion, carrot, potatoes, and squash 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Pour in chicken stock, water, and tomato sauce to cover vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 40 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.
2. Transfer the soup to a blender, and blend until smooth. Return to pot, and mix in any remaining stock to attain desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

(Modified from this recipe.) The one thing I like about making soup is that it's very forgiving (like baking) if you don't have certain ingredients. You can opt out of adding a particular ingredient you don't have or substituting something similar such as tomato sauce instead of peeled tomatoes.

(After it's been pureed.)

Bon Appetit!

Trick: You can freeze half of it in the freezer since this calls for a big batch. This is helpful if you are cooking for one like me!

Confessions of a Baker...

With my newfound free time, I've been rediscovering old hobbies such as baking. Baking from scratch is very therapeutic, and it's something I gave up during my volunteer year. I'm definitely glad that I haven't lost my love for baking.

Homemade Granola (Recipe from Joy of Baking) - The recipe called for 1/2 cup maple syrup, but I would put in slightly less next time and try adding 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg.




Almond cookies with chocolate chips (Recipe adapted from AllRecipes.com) - I tried making my own almond milk the other day, and I had leftover ground almond so I decided to make cookies with it. I added 1/4 cup more flour and threw in some chocolate chips.


The verdict: these cookies have a rich nutty flavor. I approve of this recipe - it's a keeper!

Los Angeles

I went back home to California for the holidays, and it was definitely good to catch up with family and friends.

Went for a walking tour in Pasadena to see the Gamble House, which is a beautifully crafted house. I definitely recommend the tour if you're in town.

@ The Grove - great place to window shop and enjoy the fresh air.

@ the Walt Disney Concert Hall


Now I'm back in NY, and it's back to work for this chica!