Favorite Fall Recipes

I love the Fall! I love the smells. I love watching the kids walk to the bus stop with their brand new backpacks. I love snuggling up and looking outside as the cold weather creeps back into our lives. I love thinking about the day when I finally get around to making a pad for our window seat so I can curl up on there and watch the leaves fly by.

I wanted to share a couple of my favorite fall recipes. They just make life feel so festive!

Butternut Squash Soup

My sister in law shared this recipe with us a few years back and it became an instant favorite. The photo is an old one from a party where I served the soup out of a pumpkin. It's the only one I had, but at least it gives you a little idea of what the soup looks like. The pumpkin is, of course, optional :)

6 T chopped onion
3 T butter
6 c. squash, peeled and cubed
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 oz cream cheese
salt to taste
3 cans chicken broth

Saute the onions in butter until tender. Add all but the cheese. Boil
twenty minutes or until squash is tender. Puree squash and cream
cheese in batches until smooth. Return to pot, heat through but do not
boil. Serve with French bread and green salad.

Hot Almond and Cream Drink

We call this the Narnia drink because as soon as you taste it you will KNOW that it's the exact warm, perfect drink that the Snow Queen gives to .. the boy.. (I forget his name) with is turkish delight. Seriously so good. And perfect all through the holidays. After all, how can something with ice cream as one of the ingredients ever be bad?

1 c butter
1 c sugar
1 c packed brown sugar
2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
2 teaspoons almond extract
ground nutmeg

In a saucepan over low heat, cook and stir butter and sugars for 12-15
minutes or until the butter is melted. Pour into a large mixing bowl;
add ice cream and extract. Beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes or
until smooth, scraping the bowl often. This creates the drink 'mix'.

To make one serving: Spoon 1/4 cup mix into a mug, add 3/4 c boiling
water and stir well. Sprinkle with nutmeg and serve.