Although outdoor activities make summer my favorite time of year in Washington, the bountiful harvest of autumn comes in a very close second. I love the flavors of fall so much that when BlogHer asked me to choose one of my recipes for a series of progressive dinner posts on fall entertaining, the only hard part was choosing which recipe to use! I decided on my butternut squash soup, not only because it’s easily adapted for an autumn or Halloween themed party, but also because all home cooks need to have at least one pureed soup up their sleeves. Even better, this soup has been a winner with every picky eater I’ve fed it to!
For me, the key to a good soup is texture. Too thin, and it seems watery and cheap; too thick, and you can’t choke it down. While an immersion blender makes blended soups really easy to make, you can also blend them in a regular blender. Just make sure to only do a little at a time; fill the blender less than halfway, or you could have hot soup explode all over you and your kitchen!
Now in my family, we can’t eat pureed soups plain; we need something chunky in there to enhance the contrast of the smoothness of the soup. I love using dried cranberries in this soup, and for Halloween I even use a little cream to draw spiderwebs in the soup, dotting them with cranberry “bugs”. Sometimes, if I want to make it extra fancy, I’ll use pomegranate seeds. Their juicy bursts of tartness add a really bright element to the soup.
Another key to a great soup is controlling the heat as you make your soup. You want a higher heat when you start cooking your vegetables, which gives a little caramelization sweetness to the soup, but once you add the liquid you want to reduce it to a simmer, so it doesn’t all evaporate.
Looking at some of the features of the new GE Café™ Double Oven Range, I started wishing for their tri-ring burner, which has three burners in one. It’s the most powerful burner GE Café™ has ever made, great for quick sautés and stir fries, but it also has a very small burner to gently handle delicate ingredients. Want to know what I find even more exciting? The dedicated simmer burner that you can move your soup pot to, so you can free up your other burners, a big bonus when cooking for a party.
I have to do a lot of pot and pan juggling right now. The wires on two of my burners have frayed, so I’m down to two small burners. Yikes! I don’t know yet if we can easily repair the problem, but if not, I’m definitely eyeing the GE Café™ line.
Okay, now the news you’ll find most exciting. You can win your very own product from the GE Café™ line, a GE Café™ 120V Advantium oven!!! To enter to win the oven, head on over to my friends at BlogHer and check out all that the GE Café™ line has to offer, and then follow their instructions to enter between 10/20/11 – 11/9/11.
You can also win a $100 Visa gift card!!! I know, I know!!! I LOVE giveaways!
Who couldn’t use an extra $100?
Here are the rules for the $100 Visa gift card sweepstakes:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods between 10/20/11 and 11/9/11:
a) Leave a comment on this post telling me what ingredient add-in you would choose for this soup. It can be dried cranberries or pomegranate seeds, like I mentioned, or you can share your own idea so we can all have fun experimenting!
b) Tweet about this promotion (Something like “Visit @DianasaurDishes to win $100 and a GE Café™ 120V Advantium oven http://bit.ly/oePwcA” and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry. This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.
Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Yield: 5-7 servings
Ingredients
-
3 TBS
butter -
1
large yellow onion, diced -
2
med white thin skinned potatoes (or other potatoes peeled), diced -
1
butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced -
1/4 cup
orange juice (I used seasonal clementines) -
1 TBS
orange zest (used clementines as well) -
3 cups
vegetable stock -
1 1/2 tsp
kosher salt -
1/4 tsp
fresh ground pepper -
1/4 tsp
all spice -
1/4 tsp
fresh ground nutmeg -
1/4 tsp
ground ginger -
1/2 cup
dried cranberries
Cooking Directions
- Melt the butter in a large pot on medium, then add the onion. Stir to coat the onion in the butter and let cook 3 minutes until it starts to soften.
- Add the diced potatoes and squash and stir again. Let cook another 5 minutes, stirring every minute or so.
- Add orange juice, zest and vegetable stock. Stir and cover the pot. Let simmer for 30 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender (make sure it’s submerged, this soup is like napalm!) to blend the vegetables into a nice thick and creamy soup. Once blended, add salt pepper and spices, tasting as you go.
- Ladle soup into individual mugs or bowls and sprinkle with dried cranberries (pomegranate seeds are fun too!).
Visit the bloggers below for more recipes for the GE Café™ Fall Harvest progressive meal and for more chances to win!
I would toast the squash seeds and sprinkle them on top! 🙂
I was just at the store & looked at the Butternut squash. I should have bought it, your recipe sounds yummy. I’m making sure I add it to my shopping list for next time. Thanks Diana.
I would probably add a little sprinkle of cinnamon.
I always roast and salt the butternut squash seeds and add them on top. I also think that a bit of coconut milk adds a lot of creaminess to butternut squash soup.
I think chopped toasted walnuts would be a yummy addition.
I think pumpkin seeds and/or a crumbly blue cheese would be great!
How about raisins?
I would top it with toasted pine nuts! Perhaps a couple shavings of parmegiano regiano would work too. 🙂
I think it’d be fabulous with a bit of dill!
A bit of cinnamon for sure!
Pom seeds would be delish in this!!
I think toasted pumpkin seeds would be great!
I love this soup topped with homemade garlic croutons
I think toasted squash seeds would be a great addition.
this looks amazing. i would add a touch of brown sugar!
tweet
http://twitter.com/#!/aes529/status/127215618284986369
A dollop of plain yogurt would be good, too. I love your idea of cranberries—so autumnal.
Love your add-ins…I think I would add some crisped up pancetta! 🙂
I like the sound of dried cranberries.
Sunflower seeds would add a little crunch.
i like the dried cranberries idea
I like wax turnips. Add them in diced with the squash and potatoes.
I like to add plain greek yogurt to soups and I think some cheese would also be a good add in
I would add some of the flavored cooking cream Philadelphia has out.
This looks yummy! Beautiful presentation as well. I would maybe add a drizzle of pesto on top as an add-in. Thanks!
I tweeted:https://twitter.com/#!/roomofmyown/status/127421267879006208
I would make pumpkin bread croutons and add a couple to this soup – looks delicious!
Here’s the link to the tweet – http://twitter.com/#!/thekidcancook/status/127429825983033344
I’d add either a bit of cumin which is how I make it, or a little curry powder. Another option is Chinese 5 spice which kicks things up very nicely, and is wonderful in squash soup that has orange juice in it. MMMMM.
I would have to add some homemade croutons to the top.
tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/KerryBishop/status/127565448534437888
I’d add Gingerbread croutons!
I’d add a bit of plain yogurt
I would add a crustini to the top or some nutmeg to give it a little extra spice.
I add pumpkin seeds
http://twitter.com/#!/susan1215/status/127892850779242496
I would want to add some steamed zucchini to it.
I tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/rsmstahley/status/127934638801952768
I love the dried cranberries with this soup…and some toasted pine nuts on top would be a nice texture contrast as well. 🙂
Just tweeted about this giveaway and here’s the link:
https://twitter.com/#!/uTry_it/status/127951913718259713
I would use pomegranate seeds 🙂
I tweeted – thanks for the chance! http://twitter.com/#!/DeeGee13/status/128012596002566144
I would add a little cinnamon.
I would add toasted pumpkin seeds.
tweet
http://twitter.com/#!/huffychic/status/128196766649696256
I like Pepper added to everything!
Looks yummy! Maybe walnuts would be nice.
I’m not the soup cook around here. However my lovely wife often cooks a healthy soup from all fresh ingredients during the fall and winter months. I can’t tolerate MSG. And MSG is added to a lot of the soups served by restaurants! The ingredients look great. We will add this recipe to our menu soon and try it out.
i would finely chop walnuts and add them. But i add cooked and chopped spinach to almost everything i might even try that. Spinach has a mild flavor so it is hidden in most everything.
Blog http://sodahoney.blogspot.com/2011/10/warm-up-with-these-fall-recipes-and.html
I would add fresh garlic! i am a garlic fanatic and it helps hair shedding too!
I tweeted at https://twitter.com/#!/anashct/status/128433000017969152
email: anashct1 [at] yahoo [dot] com
finely chopped pecans would be yummy i think
plain yogurt 🙂
I love the cranberry idea, and I would also add a little cinnamon.
I tweeted this
https://twitter.com/#!/The_Sunshyn/status/128682702021988352
I’d love a bit of flax seeds (ground)
tweet.https://twitter.com/#!/tcarolinep/status/128690555369697282
tcarolinep at gmail dot com
Actually the dried cranberries with this soup is perfect to me, well I would add-in toasted sesame seeds on top.
ctong2@gmail(dot)com
I think I’d add some roasted sunflower seeds for some crunch.
cheese!
What about a little drop of dry sherry (you know like in she crab soup)? That might be delicious.
croutons or oyster crackers. Love the crunch with the creamy soup!
I would sprinkle in some sunflower seeds or even toasted sesame seeds for a little texture.
I would add a little hazelnut creamer, for a bit of sweet nutty flavor. I love this recipe.
I’d add curry.
pumpkin seeds!
http://twitter.com/#!/DesMoinesDealin/status/129409619171880960
I would top the soup with sour cream.
Pepitas!
I tweeted! http://twitter.com/#!/vt_ellen
Fall is in the air! add a bit of sage with the onions yummm!
Cranberries are my latest obsession, so I would totally add some
Hard to top the suggestions already made, such as cinnamon, brown sugar, and plain yogurt.
I would add toasted pine nuts for a rich, nutty flavor.
Lighly toasted sliced almonds might add a very nice touch. Or a hint of curry powder together with cashews quickly fried in veg.oil and drained on napkins…
If you don’t mind a little extra work, I’d toast some
Pecans and then in a pan melt some brown sugar with a teaspoon of bourbon. Pour the pecans in the sugar and lay out in parchment paper to cool. Gives the soup a little crunch plus…
I would add toasted sunflower seeds
babitababita@hotmail.com
tweet
http://twitter.com/#!/zbabita5/status/130175864968192000
babitababita@hotmail.com
i think toasted ginger snap cookie would be good
http://twitter.com/#!/purplelover04/status/130349697897472001
Your presentation is beautiful! It never occurred to me to add dried cranberries (which I use ALL the time in many foods) or pomegranate seeds. Thanks for the idea! I don’t really have a better suggestion.
Thanks for the giveaway.
Tweet! https://twitter.com/#!/lexiquin/status/130358124778504192
Toasted pistachios would be great on top!
YUM! This looks good! I’m going to try to make it..I love squash. I would probably had sweet white corn & green peas.
kfloveinme at gmail dot com
I tweeted @mskenyaf
http://twitter.com/#!/MsKenyaF/status/130470364819103744
I would add some toasted chopped pecans that have seasoned with a little cayenne and sea salt.
I would add some curry powder
Tweeted
http://twitter.com/#!/disneyfan40/status/130488231866277888
I would definitely add the dried cranberries, they are sooo good!
tweet
http://twitter.com/#!/mngirlinssp/status/130495127037812736
cinnamon!!
http://twitter.com/#!/HappyTina0115/status/130497584925130752
recipe looks great! LOVE butternut squash… I like my soups chunkier, so I probably wouldn’t use the blender.
thanks for the giveaway.
katz7books at yahoo dot com
I would choose dried cranberries to add it…sounds yummy!
tweeted
http://twitter.com/#!/fairydancer35/status/130669712655908865
This sounds yummy.
Tweeted @lindabr1001 http://twitter.com/#!/lindabr1001/status/130981314584256512
id add raisins
I’d top it with candied walnuts
tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/guillenwins/status/131026395919941632
I think a few apple slices.
I love soups, too. In spite of making quite a bit of homemade soups, I have NEVER yet made squash soup. I think my hubby would be delighted if I did. I would put a dollopof sour cream on it. The ideas of the roasted seeds sounds good too.
Oh- I would LOVe to add a comment on kitchen stoves!!! I discovered that any range with computer controls………… VERY costly to have repaired. The money I spent on repairs on mine, over the 8 years I owned it- I could have bought a new stove. I have vowed to NEVER ever buy any stove with computer controls ever ever ever again. Dials never break down.
I think a pinch of white pepper sounds good
I would add some croutons.
I’d choose to add the dried cranberries. This soup sounds yummy.
helenkeeler@comcast.net
tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/helen1949/status/131151595961458689
helenkeeler@comcast.net
White pepper wold be great.
Bacon on top.
I printed the recipe and want to try it but until I do I cannot make any recommendations for additions. It looks great! Thanks.
apples
Ooh, pomegranate seeds sound so interesting. I love butternut squash soup and make it often.
My add-in ingredient would be fennel
Tweet Link: https://twitter.com/#!/tkharmonic/status/131411055573352448
I think dried cranberries would be awesome!
Thanks!
I would use raisens.
Top with a little bit of chopped roasted salted peanuts for texture and crunch!
Tweeted
http://twitter.com/#!/mikkimouse38/status/131545969862000640
sour cream
I think the dried cranberries would be perfect.
I would make some nice buttery cinnamon sourdough croutons for the top!
I think your presentation is lovely! Sometimes I like an off beat garnish….how about sweet potatoe chips? The flavors would meld and it would add interesting tactile appeal.
http://www.friendsdriftinn.com/recipes/sweet-potato-chips.html
I would add a bit of the garlic Philadelphia cooking cream. I’ve added it to many of my soups and gravies lately, and it really adds a nice flavor.
I tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/rusthawk/status/132203675216125952
How about some croutons. Yum !!
how ’bout some turkey with those dried cranberries
Add just a hint of cinnamon and some raisins
sweokgrl@gmail.com
I tweeted
sweokgrl@gmail.com
https://twitter.com/#!/bdiane34/status/132976400113205248
I’d add homemade cheese croutons.
Tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/janJ4C/status/133047848399937536
janmessali (at) gmail (dot) com
I’d add some pumpkin seeds!
bleatham(at)gmail.com
tweet
http://twitter.com/#!/sleatham1/status/133048344070201344
bleatham*at*gmail.com
I love squash but I don’t know about trying it in a soup
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
tweet
https://twitter.com/#!/ChelleB36/status/133049807030861824
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
Diced red bell peppers, perhaps?
I think a sprinkling of nutmeg and cinnamon on top would be wonderful!
I tweeted here: http://twitter.com/#!/FotoMacro/status/133273333801295872
I would add some sauteed apples.
try a garnish of chopped pecans cooked in maple syrup and butter.
How about some cinnamon!
MCantu1019 at aol dot com
Cranberrys sound good. Although Ive never tried squash soup.
I tweeted.
https://twitter.com/#!/Karli1238/status/133467079306260480
I would add croutons and cinnamon!…yum!
I would try adding raisins for sure.
gmissycat at yahoo dot com
Tweeted too
http://twitter.com/#!/gmissycat/status/133602271706624000
gmissycat at yahoo dot com
I would add toasted walnuts.
tumeric- because it is good for you, improving mental function, boosts the imune system and benenficial for skin health, and to add a deeper color.
I would add a drizzle of coconut milk. I love coconut milk and butternut squash.
xoxo
Toasted pumpkin seeds would be great.
I would like to win this one!
Cranberries sound like a delicious add-in, and one I wouldn’t have thought of!
I would add dried cranberries!
I would crumble crispy bacon on top.
I would sprinkle a little nutmeg on this soup.
Pomegranate seeds!
http://twitter.com/#!/bikeohio/status/134065782119337984 tweet
mmm.. yum love your butternutsquash recipe, Fall is all about comfort food to me. 🙂 I love pie, apple or pumpkin or a combination of both in an apple pumpkin crisp it my favorite! thanks for the post and opportunity 🙂
I tweeted about the promo 🙂 https://twitter.com/#!/abitnerdy/status/134068573902610432
I think a little of dried cranberries and a little of granola sounds good.
tweeted
https://twitter.com/#!/skipthelaundry2/status/134074248632352768
i just love pumpkin seeds!!
I would add-in some crushed walnut.
mllmogaml at gmx dot com
I WOULD DEF DO THE CRANBERRIES WITH IT. I’M NOT VERY CREATIVE ON MY OWN =(
2ND ENTRY TWEET @ https://twitter.com/#!/kytah00/status/134139951133630464
Tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/computerfan/status/134161250845327360
Dried cranberries, of course. Great post, by the way!
I love croutons in most of my soups, so I think they would be a fabulous addition to this recipe
Tweet Tweet!
http://twitter.com/#!/MyW1ldCrazyLife/status/134282158016708609
I would add a sprinkle of chipolte pepper
Here’s my blog post with a link to the promotion
http://katseasykitchen.com/2011/11/09/butternut-squash-bisque/
I would add fresh grated cheese
the pomegranate seeds sound divine
how about cracked pepper sprikled on top
This sounds so good! I’d add some cinnamon and brown sugar! For a sweet and warm treat! Love the idea of the cranberries though – they’re delish, too!
e-mail: lucky02130 (at) gmail (dot) com
JUST A DASH OF BRANDY.
I’d add pecan bits.
http://twitter.com/#!/LuckyDuckyToo/status/134432260685443074
I’d add bacon.
Ooh, toasted pinenuts would be devine! Yummo!
Thanks for the recipe. Lovely photos!
I would add carrots & Celery & Pine Nuts to the mix
tweet https://twitter.com/#!/arniebelle/status/134479834691801088
I would have never thought about adding dried cranberries to butternut squash soup – but maybe because most recipes I’ve seen are more savory. What a great idea!