I’ve never been a huge squash fan, but every now and then I try to get out of my comfort zone. I really like to cook with local produce and this time of year, there are tons of big squash available in my greenmarket, so I figured, why not? I was surprised at how well this soup came out. For all of you who also aren’t into squash, this dish may change your mind.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2-4)

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut in half horizontally

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large vidalia onion, rough chop

1 teaspoon kosher salt

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 quart homemade turkey or chicken bone broth

½ cup water

¼ cup maple syrup (optional)

Fresh ground pepper

Rosemary sprig for garnish

Croutons for garnish

Parmesan (small grate) for garnish

Cubed cooked turkey, chicken or ham for garnish (optional)

Toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish (optional)

Heavy cream for garnish (optional)

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the squash halves on a greased sheet pan. Season with salt and pepper. Brush with olive oil. Place in oven until soft, about 45 minutes. Once you can easily prick with a fork, remove from oven and allow to cool. Once cool, scoop out all of the squash and discard the skin.

Heat the remaining oil in a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook through for 1 minute. Add the squash, broth and water. Bring to boil and then lower the heat to a simmer for about 15 minutes.

Allow to cool for ten minutes. Use an immersion blender or regular blender, blend until smooth. (If using a regular blender, you may need to blend the soup in batches to avoid a mess.)

Taste and re-season with salt and pepper if necessary. If there’s a bitter taste or if you like a touch of sweetness, add in the syrup and blend until incorporated.

There are lots of options for garnishing. Mix and match as you like. One way is to ladle the soup into large mugs. Place a crouton on top. Place optional meat cubes on top of crouton. Sprinkle with parmesan. Garnish with rosemary. Or, you could add a drizzle of heavy cream and run a toothpick through it for a nice pattern and garnish with some toasted pumpkin seeds and chopped parsley.

Given my love of soup and my desire not to waste any food, I found myself with a bunch of leftovers and an empty pot yearning to make something this afternoon. A few hours later, I had a hearty soup simmering away, a loaf of crusty bread warming in the oven and a bottle of wine at the ready—a nice cozy meal to start the weekend. Enjoy!

+INGREDIENTS +(Serves 6-8)

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

2 potatoes, cubed

1 onion, sliced into 1/2” rings

1 head of garlic, cut in half

5 tablespoons olive oil

½ pound ground turkey

½ pound ground turkey sausage (hot Italian)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne

¾ cup parmesan, finely grated

½ cup bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten

6 cups chicken or turkey bone broth

1 cup gruyere cheese, large grate

½ cup of cream

salt and pepper

1 baguette or croutons (optional)

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped for garnish

PREPARATION

FOR ROAST VEGETABLES

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place cauliflower, potatoes and onion rings in a large bowl. Drizzle on 3 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss. Pour out into an even layer on a greased sheet pan. Place the two garlic head halves on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil. Crimp the aluminum foil around the garlic head, covering all the way. Place on sheet pan. Bake for one hour, tossing the veggies once after the first 30 minutes.

FOR MEATBALLS

In a large bowl, mix the ground chicken, ground sausage, garlic powder, cayenne, ½ cup of the parmesan, bread crumbs, beaten egg and season with salt and pepper. Using your hands, roll mixture into small meatballs, about 3/4” in diameter. Set aside. (It makes 20-24 meatballs.)

FOR SOUP

In a large dutch oven, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Brown the meatballs, turning them over every few minutes for a total of 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove from pot and set aside.

Add the roasted vegetables to the dutch oven. Add the garlic by squeezing the garlic halves and discarding the skins.

Add the chicken bone broth. Bring up to a boil and then down to simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove from stove and allow to cool for ten minutes. Using an immersion blender (or regular blender), puree soup until smooth.

Place back on stove, add the meatballs, cream and gruyere cheese. Reheat until the soup is at a simmer (but not boil). Reason with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve in bowls. Garnish with croutons, parsley and remaining parmesan.

I first had this dish in the original Eataly in New York, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Before I left, I bought some squid ink pasta, determined to try and recreate it at home. It took me a few tries, but I think this recipe gets pretty close. Let me know what you think.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4-6)

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups Lobster or shellfish broth

1 lb Squid ink pasta (available online)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 shallot, minced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

Cherry tomato, sliced half

8 Prawns, bodies on

Baby shrimp, cleaned and peeled

Parsley, chopped for garnish

PREPARATION

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add in the flour and whisk until it’s the consistency of cake frosting. Continue whisking until the mixture just starts to bubble and the color is a nice blond-caramel. Add in the lobster broth, half-cup at a time until it comes to a thickness you like for your sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (You may not need both cups of stock if you like a thicker sauce.) Set aside.

Cook the pasta as per box instructions.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Sauté the shallot until translucent, about two-minutes. Add in the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about another minute. Add in the prawns and shrimp and cook until pink, about 4-6 minutes. Add in the cherry tomatoes and toss.

Strain the pasta and add into the skillet. Using tongs, gently toss all together. Using a ladle, spoon out the lobster sauce on top, a little at a time. Lightly toss. (NOTE: Don’t drown the pasta with too much sauce.)

Using tongs, place on plates and garnish with parsley.

You want simple and delicious? Here’s one of my favorite dishes that I only make when my husband is out of town. (He’s not crazy about certain fish.) It takes less than a half hour and it’s a one pot dish. The perfect thing to have while watching the forbidden chick flick.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2-3)

1 ½ pound black cod, filleted

1 packet dashi*

2 cups water

1 heaping tablespoon miso paste

1 bunch bok choy, chopped

Salt and pepper

Fried onions for garnish

PREPARATION

Season the fish with salt and pepper, set aside.

Place the dashi packet and water together in a medium sized pot. Bring up to a boil, then down to a simmer. Add the miso paste and stir until dissolved. Add in the bok choy and gently place the fish in the center of the pot, skin side down. Baste the fish with some of the liquid. Cover the pot for 8-10 minutes and continue to simmer.

Gently remove fish from pot and place in center of soup bowl. Remove the dashi packet and discard. Ladle the bok choy and the liquid on top. Garnish with fried onions.

*FOR DASHI PACKETS: http://bit.ly/3KeYlGK