Pureed Butternut Squash Soup

This soup was so delicious! Even the kids gobbled it up. However, I took some to my Mom and Dad to try and they gave it back and said they didn't like it. Ha ha, I had to laugh about it! It is one of the best squash soups I have tasted so far. I served it with sourdough bread to dip in and watermelon on the side.

Ingredients


2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, chopped

1 piece (2 inches) fresh ginger, peeled and chopped or I just used some ground ginger

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 3/4 pounds small butternut squash, prepared and cut into 3/4-inch cubes(I used some I grew in my garden)

4 cups Chicken broth(I just used water and added boullion)

Coarse salt and ground pepper

Sour cream, (optional)

Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Directions

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, and squash; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in 4 cups broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer until squash is tender, 20 minutes.

Puree soup in two batches. When blending hot foods, allow the heat to escape to prevent splattering. Remove the cap from the hole of the blender's lid, and cover with a dish towel. Stir 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Serve hot, with sour cream, pepper, and pumpkin seeds, if desired.

Canned Salsa

This a recipe I modified from my Mom. It is some of the best tasting salsa we have ever had:

6 quarts tomatoes(8 tom/qt or about 40), peeled(place in boiling water for about 30 seconds then peel the skins off when cool) and chopped(use food processor); LaVerne says you don't have to peel the tomatoes. This would be a huge time saver!

6 onions(chopped in food processor)

1/2 jalapeno pepper(remove several seeds so it's not too hot. If you want mild salsa then use 10 slices bottled jalapeno peppers)

1 Anaheim pepper, chopped

2 T celery salt(my Mom uses 1 stalk celery chopped)

3T Garlic Salt

4 T Salt(my mom only does 2)

1/3 cup vinegar

24 oz. tomato paste

4 T sugar

2 T crushed red pepper(in a spice bottle)

Mix all ingredients and add to blender or food processor. Pulse for a few seconds. Add all to a large stock pot. Sprinkle pepper on top of mixture and stir. Simmer for 2 hours. Bottle in pints or quarts. Process pints for 1/2 hour and quarts for 1 hour in a cold pack canner. This recipe makes about 8-9 quarts.