Snow Day = QT in the Kitchen

A couple of weeks ago, a snow day descended upon Manhattan.  I say "snow day" as opposed to "snow storm" because quite frankly it was a lame storm.  It snowed, but it wasn't nearly as much as was predicted, and the city's response was totally exaggerated.  Stores were closed, schools were closed, and plenty of offices asked their employees to work from home for the day.  This didn't really affect me much, since I work from home most days anyway (and to be honest I felt kind of gypped), but it did mean that I had a work from home buddy to play with!  Katie came over mid-morning and literally stayed through the entire day.  So, what else would we do but cook?!

For lunch we made a "throw it all in a pan" pasta dish.

This is not recipe worthy, because I didn't measure a thing, but I actually really recommend it as a quick weeknight dinner or a way to use up veggies in your fridge.  We cooked up some whole wheat pasta and then in a separate pan sauteed red pepper, spinach, crimini mushrooms, and garlic.  There may have been onions, but I don't remember.  I added a dash of sherry vinegar at the end and topped with feta cheese, although I can't say it would be my first cheese choice.  Just what I had.

Katie looooves it!

The "blizzard":

Maybe I'm jaded after 4 years in Ithaca, but really?  I scoff at you, blizzard.

Katie and I spent the afternoon working/napping (me/her), and then reconvened to cook dinner!  Well, first we went to Gourmet Garage to pick up some ingredients and for me to get some fresh air.  Gotta love how I can make it until 7pm without leaving the house.  And by love it I mean hate it.  I had been harboring a hankering (Harboring a hankering?  Does that even make sense?) for this butternut squash soup from The Barefoot Contessa for weeks (maybe months?), so I convinced K to make it with me.

In true Katie/Freya fashion, we made a boatload of veggies to eat with our soup (roasted brussels sprouts and golden and red beets, canola oil, salt and pepper, pretty standard).  We also bought a quarter loaf of Brooklyn Brewery stout bread.  I have no idea what that means (it was a rye, I think?), but it was SO GOOD.  Gourmet Garage is an awesome grocery store, but not very well-stocked with the basics.  Just awesome little strange things.  Not to mention it's HELLA expensive.  But it's a block away, and I love it.

I am providing the full recipe for the soup, but note that we halved it (well, half + a little).  I say buy a squash and then proportion the other ingredients according to the weight of the squash.  It was so satisfying and healthy and truly easy to make, if a bit time consuming, even considering the food processor involvement.  We each had a big bowl, and then I think I had 2 more servings leftover.  Also, you're supposed to peel the apples, but we forgot (oops) and didn't notice a thing.  Yay extra fiber! (?)

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
Adapted from Barefoot Conetessa Parties!  (haha love the title of this cookbook...)
Makes 3 1/2 quarts

2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp good olive oil
4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large)
2 tbsp mild curry powder
1 tsp Garam Masala -- we added it because Allison makes a great butternut squash soup with the spice, and we said, why not?
5 pounds butternut squash (2 large)
1 1/2 pounds sweet apples, such as McIntosh (4 apples) -- I used Gala
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups good apple juice or cider

Warm the butter and olive oil in a large stockpot over low heat.  Add the onions and curry powder and cook, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are tender.  Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot.
Peel the squash, cut in half, and remove the seeds.  Cut the squash into chunks.  Peel, quarter, and core the apples (or not).  Cut into chunks.
Add the squash, apples salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water to the pot.  Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until the squash and apples are very soft.  Process the soup through a food mill fitted with a large blade, or puree it coarsely in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.
Pour the soup back into the pot.  Add the apple juice and enough water to make the soup the consistency you like (we added no water); it should be slightly sweet and quite thick.  Check the salt and pepper and serve hot.