Butternut Squash Soup with Spiced Whipped Cream

This is a new twist on a #basic Pumpkin Spice Latte. But obviously, way less basic. 

We had an amazing time presenting this recipe on Daytime Ottawa- If you're a Rogers customer, check it out! 

You'll need:
1 good sized Butternut Squash, cubed and peeled; or a package of pre-cut butternut squash
1 chopped onion
chicken or vegetable broth - about 3 cups
1-2 tbsp Cumin
1 tsp Coriander

1 tsp Turmeric
2 tbsp butter or fat alternative like coconut oil (if vegan)

1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 small carton of whipping cream (or dairy substitute like almond milk)

Start by tossing  your squash with half your spices and some olive oil until coated. Roast in the oven at 375 for 25 minutes or until golden.

Once your squash is roasted, melt 2 tablespoons of butter (or alternative) in a big soup pot and sauté the onions for about 5 minutes until they're soft. Season with salt and pepper and a bit more cumin.

Add the squash cubes into your sauté being sure to get all the cooking liquid from roasting into the pot as well. Add enough broth to cover and simmer for about 20 - 30 minutes until everything is soft. Puree in a blender or with an immersion blender.

If you are making the vegan version of this soup, whisk in about 2 cups your diary alternative. Taste and add more seasoning as necessary.

For the non-vegan/dairy –free version, pour the cream into a large bowl and add the rest of the spice. Using an immersion blender, automatic mixer, or good, old fashioned strength, whip until peaks appear.

Add a dollop (or quenelle if you’re fancy) as garnish. The cream melts into each bowl of soup and adds a delicious creaminess.  Serve piping hot on a crisp fall day!

Spinach Dip just for fun!

Been a while since we posted a really fun and easy dip to serve just for the very joy of it! This one fits the bill. We're a football loving bunch and Sunday is our day to celebrate. We celebrate the joy of being with family along with the changing of the landscape to the beautiful hue of Autumn. On Sundays, my family all wear their team jersey and we bet on the games and we celebrate the happiness of life. And yes, we imbibe in a nice cold lager and enjoy a snack and wish each other the very best! You can't go wrong with that. And here is a fabulous and easy dip that everybody loves. And in fact I forgot to snap a photo of it before it got devoured. But you'll get the idea after you serve this one!

You'll need:
2 packages of frozen chopped spinach
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of grated old cheddar cheese
1 cup of Gruyere or Swiss grated cheese
1 egg
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste.

Thaw the spinach and squeeze out the excess moisture through two strong layers of paper towel (as in you need name brand here) or cheesecloth. Put it in a bowl and add the egg, soup, Dijon, garlic powder and salt and pepper. Stir everything to thoroughly combine
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grate the cheese. Use more if you like.

You have a choice here. You can spread the spinach on the bottom of a small casserole dish and let the cheese melt on top. I prefer to mix the cheese into the spinach so I don't have a hardened cheese crust on the top of the dip after a few minutes of exposure. Then nobody can really get at that dip without capturing the whole cheese top trying to jump on to their cracker. And if you're bringing a date to watch football for the first time, it's just sheer horror for them. There seems to be no way to get a bit of dip without taking the whole top with it. And this happens with every dip that says to melt the cheese on top. I get it that it takes a pretty photo. But come on. Have some respect for your football newbies for God sake!

 I mix it all together and bake at 350 degrees with the lid on the casserole dish for about 25 minutes or until it's all bubbling. Then remove the cover and broil for 5 minutes. Serve it up with Triscuits or Scoop chips. Or anything you like. This one is vegetarian too, so yes, you can bring that girl you met in the club last night to watch the games and no fear of a Fred Flinstone rib ending up on her plate! Cheers friends!