Butternut Squash Soup

Snow Day and Coconut Chips!

Across from the Grange, Vicki Smith 2021

Our local art museum has begun hosting monthly figure-drawing sessions on one Saturday. The first class was to be on the 6th and since their space is limited, only eight spots were available. I didn't sign up in time, but they received so much interest that they hired another model and opened up a second room and I got a spot. I thought that the level of interest proved that people were finally ready to stop taking art lessons on YouTube and rejoin the real world. My paper, drawing board, and assorted charcoal pencils were ready when it dawned on me that the class would be starting at the same time as the first major snowstorm of the year. Sure enough, when I called the museum, they decided to cancel. Despite my excitement about drawing from the figure, I realized that the cancellation brought back memories of snow days growing up and the endless possibilities that a day off from school seemed to offer. We would listen in the morning to the radio as the local news station read the list of closings in alphabetical order. Our school always seemed to take the longest to decide to close. The closing might mean the postponement of a test, the chance to go sledding or an afternoon of baking cookies. This Saturday, I got out the Scrabble board and made this simple soup recipe while the snow gently fell.

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash

salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

olive oil

1 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock

1 can light, unsweetened coconut milk

pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions

Peel and remove the seeds from the squash. Cut into 1/2'“ chunks. You should have about 4 cups. Place the squash in a medium saucepan, cover with water, and add a dash of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the squash. Drain the squash into a bowl and mash. ( You could also puree in a blender, but I like a little texture.) Rinse out and dry your original saucepan. Sauté the garlic in a splash of olive oil. Add the mashed squash back to the saucepan along with the stock and coconut milk. Heat through. Add a pinch of cayenne before serving.

Another fun snow day activity was toasting some fresh coconut. It is a bit labor intensive making it ideal for a day when you are “stuck” inside. I read online that you can freeze the whole coconut, then whack it around the equator with the back of a large knife blade until the coconut splits neatly in half and the shell and brown peel are separated from the white meat. My husband did the whacking. It took quite a bit of effort before it was divided in two and the meat was NOT separated from the shell. However, the coconut water was frozen providing a treat of coconut ice. This might be fun in the summer. After scooping the ice from the center, I took the coconut into the garage and hurled it onto the concrete floor to successfully separate the flesh from the shell. I used a vegetable peeler to shave the coconut into strips. I baked them at 325 degrees on a cookie sheet for about 10 minutes. Keep an eye out so that they don’t burn. They are a tasty snack all on their own.

Any tips for cracking a coconut would be appreciated! I believe that there is a method with a screwdriver, a hammer, and an eye of the coconut.

For a hearty lentil soup recipe visit Ruth Talks Food and for pasta e fasioi straight from Venice visit a Dash of Prosecco.

Thanks for reading, liking, commenting, and sharing!

Vicki