Ingredients:

• Apples
• Water
• Optional: Cinnamon, sugar/honey

Directions:

1. Wash, core, and remove bad spots from apples. Cut into quarters or smaller. I don’t remove the skins because I like the texture.
2. Put apples into a pot. The apples will cook down, so you can fill it close to the top.
3. Add water up to about 1/3 of the height of the apples.
4. Bring water to boil, then lower heat to simmer for 30-45 minutes, until apples are soft enough to pierce with fork.
5. Cool applesauce in refridgerator. It doesn’t need to be cold, just needs to be cool enough you can mash it.
6. Mash apples. I use a potato masher.
7. Add cinnamon and sweetener (honey or sugar) to taste.

Note: You can freeze the applesauce–I just use zip lock bags. Once you defrost the sauce, use it in a day or three or it will go bad.

This soup is tasty, relatively quick, healthy (or at least free of added sugar and fat), and hard to screw up–the most difficult part is peeling the squash.

The below recipe makes enough to serve 4-6, depending on the size of the squash, and takes around an hour to prepare. I believe it is from one of my CSA handouts, but am not sure.

Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash
• 1 cube of bouillon
• water
• pinch of red pepper (optional)
• 1 package of frozen cheese ravioli (optional)

Directions:

1. Peel the butternut squash. Half the squash and remove the seeds and other gunk. Cut into 1 to 1 and a half inch cubes.
2. In 8 qt or larger pot, place squash and bouillon. Fill with water until squash is 3/4 covered.
3. Optional: add pinch of red pepper for a bit of kick
4. Cover and heat on med high until boiling, then dial back to low.
5. Simmer for 30 minutes, until squash is soft enough to pierce with fork
6. Remove squash from heat and place chunks and liquid into blender.
7. Puree and serve.
8. Optionally, you can cook the ravioli, following package directions, place in bowls, and ladle the soup on top.