mealsforfriends

Of course I’m always on the lookout for seasonal recipes but fall is especially challenging for our family because some of us (you know who you are!) don’t really like squash or other fall veggies!    I did find this awesome recipe from an old Cuisine at Home magazine that made us all happy.  Try it and let me know what you think!

Butternut Tortilla Soup

(makes about 12 cups….total time about 1 hour)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs butternut squash

1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

1 cup onion, coarsely chopped

2 large garlic cloves

1 jalapeno, seeded (or less, if you don’t like that much heat)

2 T canola oil

2 corn tortillas, torn into 1 inch pieces

2 cups Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 T tomato paste

1 T ground cumin

5 cups chicken broth (or veggie broth)

1 lb ground turkey  (you could leave this out and have a vegetarian soup)

6 oz baby spinach

1 can (15.5 oz) white or yellow hominy, drained

salt and pepper to taste

Poke holes in squash and bake in 350 degree oven for 3o minutes.  cool until easy to handle then peel and dice to yield about 3 cups.   while squash bakes, pulse corn, onion, garlic and jalapeno in a food processor until finely chopped.     To corn mixture, add tomatoes, tomato paste and cumin.

Heat oil over medium heat in large stock pot.  Add tortillas and saute until crisp.  Add corn and tomato mixture and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently.   Stir in broth and 1 1/2 cups of cooked squash cubes.  Simmer 10 minutes (or until squash is tender) then blend in small batches until smooth in food processor.   I used my immersion blender for this step.   In stockpot return mixture to a boil and simmer 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, brown ground turkey over medium high heat, breaking up large chunks with a wooden spoon.

Add remaining 1 1/2 cups squash, turkey and hominy, simmer 10 minutes, then season with salt and pepper.  Stir in spinach and cook until wilted – about 10 minutes.

Butternut Squash

Serve in bowls with lime cream:

1 cup sour cream

2 T fresh lime juice

1/4 t kosher salt

1/4 t ground cumin

minced zest of one lime

I crisped up the rest of the corn tortillas in canola oil and sprinkled them over the bowls of soup at the table.

Delicious!!   Try it one of these cold fall/winter nights and let me know what you think!!