Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash sums up Autumn for me! Maybe it is their golden colour or the gorgeous creamy flavour. The fabulous M came over to take me to the doc's (two more weeks and I might be back to normal!) then we had a lovely day in the shed! Mind you we spent a lot of time watching the chooks! I make this soup for all my friends when they come over and have very positive comments. So here it is for you. The ingredients are not exact find a combination to suit you! It is lovely with granary bread doorsteps thickly spread with butter!


1 large butternut squash
1 red onion
1 1/2 pints of good quality vegetable stock (I use marigold)
A good handful of red lentils
a good squidge of tomato puree
500 ml of creme fraiche
Olive oil
Good teaspoon of ginger
coriander or parsley

Saute the chopped onion gently in the olive oil,
Peel the butternut squash, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and cut into cubes of roughly the same size add to the onions and allow to soften. Put a lid on the pan and allow the onions and squash to sweat for a while, about 15 to 20 Min's. (stir now and then)
Add ginger and stir, (you can add paprika or chili powder if you like it hot)
Pour over the stock, add the squish of tomato puree and let it slowly bubble away for 30 - 45 minutes. (keep the lid on and stir now and then). Remove the lid and allow the soup to reduce a little, (around 15 minutes). You can either use a liquidiser to smooth the soup, or if you prefer it a little more chunky use a potato masher stir in the creme fraiche, serve with chopped herbs of your choice.

The tomato puree is great for adding colour which is why I use red onion too. You can mix up the veg, I sometimes add carrots or sweet potatoes! I hope you enjoy it! The ginger gives it a little kick, add as much as you want.


While we ate, I could not help take a pic of Oscar, I think he has taken up meditation! Such a gorgeous boy!

Ahh September

Mmn Autumn, season of mists and mellow fruitfulness............how I love September!
September comes as a welcome relief, the Forest has been full to bursting with tourists, now the children have gone back to school there is a feeling of being back to routine.

I love the Autumn, not only for the glorious colour, but the change in weather, so that it is no longer sinful to sit indoors and craft away. The hedgerows are full to bursting with blackberries and there is nothing better to make me feel like a domestic goddess when the freezer is full of home made cooking!

September offers new beginnings, classes to sign up to, opportunities to take up. I always love the local college prospectus.... shall I learn to make hand made chocolates? Or will it be Spanish? C has signed up for Upholstery, which is something he is interested in. King of procrastination, it is an chance to get down to his own personal form of creativity. He is extremely talented and far more productive in his creativity than I am! (The wonderful garden is a shining example to his practical creativity that gives me pleasure every day!)

I have decided not to sign up for anything, despite the opportunities there. I am on a bit of a curb at the moment. I go through phases of rushing around to various activities: The WI, Tango, Book Clubs, Writing groups, Jive dancing, stitch and chat, Embroidery Group, Cinema with friends, Reading – the list is endless. I am not really sure what all this frantic activity is all about but suddenly I find I am getting stressed about all the things I am doing and end up not doing anything!

My problem is that there is so much out there, so many opportunities that I want to try them all, it is the same about craft. I see something inspirational, say on Flickr, or in a magazine and I want to have a go, but then I see another activity and off I go on that one.... I don’t think I actually finish anything much, just end up with a shed full of half finished projects. This is dangerous, because it seems like there is nothing to show for your efforts, and then it becomes self sabotage!

So the secret is to limit the stimulus, not to go on Flickr or look at magazines, just take the time to do one project at a time. I think I need this for my sanity!

So no more WI, Jive, Reading group (they want me to read catch 22! No way!) Embroidery group, Flickr, magazines or craft books... now I am going to try to keep the stimulus low so I can take my time and enjoy the current project. (just to see how long I can keep it up). Tango on Tuesdays (no more milongas!), creative writing on Mondays and that is ALL!

Well apart from this blog of course!