I Dream About Butternut Squash

A dish I had at a restaurant over the weekend that I want to recreate at home. Tortellaci in cream sauce with sauteed butternut squash, crispy proscuitto and truffle oil. Suggestions for something similar? There were onions and garlic in there, too, along with a sweet something on the squash.

Butternut Squash Soup Experiment

Some butternut squash arrived in my "organic box" delivery last week, and my friend told me about a fabulous butternut squash soup she had recently. So, I gave it a try. I didn't have the exact recipe, so I did some research and experimented.

First, I roasted the squash. I cut it in half, poked some holes on both sides, brushed with a little oil, sprinkled with salt, pepper and a little sugar. I cooked the squash at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, until it was soft. I only used the neck so I didn't have to deal with seeds.

I sauteed some chopped up carrots, celery and onion until it was all soft and caramelized. I scooped out the squash into my food processor, added the carrot mixture, and some chicken broth, salt, pepper, a little cayenne pepper, a little half and half, a piece of crisp bacon and a teaspoon of bacon grease. I swirled it around and then put it in a sauce pan to gently bubble until warm. Verdict? It was good! A little too much celery, I think, but really good.