Turban Squash Soup

I went a little squash-crazy at the store—there are just so many kinds of winter squash! One of the most colorful members of the squash family is the Turban Squash, so named because it looks like a bright striped turban. Although you can find it throughout the year, its season peaks from August through October. I made my Turban Squash soup out of a relatively small one, but there are much more impressive specimens out there. This recipe is easy, and one of my new favorites because it’s one of the few creamy soup recipes that does not require a blender—I have a bad history with blenders.
--AnglophileLV

Turban Squash Soup (4 servings)

Ingredients:

1 Turban Squash (around the size of a cantaloupe)
Chicken broth (in an amount equal to the amount of cooked squash)
1 Tb. Butter
1 Tb. Flour
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. sage

*Note: for easy cutting, pierce skin of squash and microwave for 2 minutes. Then cut in half.

1. Wash, cut in half, and seed the squash. Microwave the bottom half (most of the seeds are in the top-knot half of the turban) for 10 minutes or until fork tender. Microwave the other side for 6 minutes, or until fork tender (the difference in cooking times is because most of the meat is in the bottom half of the squash).
2. Mash in a large measuring cup with the 1Tb butter, and determine how much squash you have.
3. Measure out an equal amount of chicken broth to the squash. Mix in the flour, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and sage.
4. Combine the squash and chicken broth mixture in a saucepan and bring to a boil, mixing thoroughly so the soup is on the thick, but chunky side. Add water until desired consistency is reached.

Winter squash is an excellent source of vitamin A. It is also a very good source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and manganese. In addition, winter squash is a good source of folate, omega-3 fatty acids, thiamin, copper, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, niacin and copper.

Baked Miniature Pumpkin

Yes, you can eat mini pumpkins! They’re not just for decoration – so go ahead, remove them from your table tops, pluck them from their nests of Indian corn and fall foliage, and stick’em in the oven. You won’t regret it.
--AnglophileLV

Baked Miniature Pumpkin Pies Sweet
1 each mini pumpkin (one per person)
1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. each ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
Scoop of vanilla ice cream (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut off tops of pumpkins and scrape out all seeds and strings. Place butter and brown sugar inside the pumpkin and sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Put the pumpkin lid back on and place pumpkins in a baking pan. Bake for about 40 minutes or until tender. Optional: Serve with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream in the pumpkin.



Baked Miniature Pumpkins Savory
1 miniature pumpkin per person
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1-2 Tbsp. cream, milk, or mascarpone cheese
1 fresh or dried sage leaf
Grated Fontina or Gruyere cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice off the top of each pumpkin, scoop out the seeds, and rub salt and pepper into the cavity. Pour in the cream, add the sage leaf and the cheese, replace the lid and bake in a pan until tender, 35 to 40 minutes.