A beautiful mid-October

The Seattle temple with fall colors.

Hillari and Brent, a brand spanking new married couple. They make a great pair; a dynamic duo. 10/11/07

The Squash Soup

I've been looking for the perfect butternut squash recipe when I spotted this in the Everett Herald. This is a favorite at the newspaper and based on a recipe from the Algonquin hotel in New York where the great writers of the 1920s hung out.

2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 yellow onion, chopped; 1 pear, peeled, cored and chopped; 1 stalk celery, diced; 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth; 3 cups butternut squash (see note); 1 russet potato, cut in pieces; 1 head cauliflower, separated into florets; 2 teaspoons curry powder or more; 1 cup sour cream (or less); 3 green onions, diced

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large souop pot on medium heat. Saute onion, celery and chopped pear for 4 minutes. Add curry powder and stir for a minute. Add 6 cups broth, increase heat and bring to a boil. Add squash, potato and cauliflower. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until soft. Puree in batches in the blender or with an immersible hand-held blender. The hand-held blender is easier to use because there's no messy pouring and hte soup stays in the pot. Reheat. Thin if desired iwth more broth, up to 2 cups. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with chopped green onions. Makes 8-10 servings. (I divided everything in half and it will feed me at least 5x.)

Notes: Butternut squash is difficult to cut up and hard to peel when raw. It's easier to cook the squash first; try roasting it in the oven at 350 until soft or in the microwave. Don't be afraid to be liberal with the curry powder. A chopped apple can be substituted for the pear.