Roasted Squash Soup with Maple-Glazed Bananas

2 medium butternut squashes
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 - 1 tsp salt
1 - 2 c apple juice and/or water
3 - 4 Tbsp butter
2 bananas, cut into slices
1/4 c maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squashes in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds and pulp. Cover the bottom of two baking dishes with water and lay squashes cut-side-down in pans. Bake for 45 min - 1 hr or until you can easily pierce through the skin of the squash with a fork. Let squash cool until you can handle it. Scrape out the flesh. You can either scrape it into a blender, if you want a smoother consistency, or right into the soup pot to mash with a potato masher if you want a chunkier consistency.

In soup pot, combine squash with brown sugar, cinnamon and salt to taste. Add enough apple juice or water (or a combination of the two) to give you the consistency you prefer. Add butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until soup bubbles and is cooked through, and butter is melted.

While soup is cooking, in a separate pan, combine bananas and maple syrup and heat through, stirring to coat bananas.

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with a generous spoonful of bananas. Drizzle any extra maple syrup over the top of soup.

Serves about 6 as a side dish.

NOTES
Adapted from recipe of the same name at culinarycovers.com.

All amounts are approximate. I didn't actually measure anything -- just added a little of this and a little of that until the texture and taste were right.

The bananas really make this soup something special.

Kid ratings: 7-year-old gives it 7/10, 4-year-old gives it 100/39.

Butternut Squash with Baby Spinach

2 1/2 lbs butternut squash, cut into 1" cubes
2 large red onions, peeled and chopped (about 4 c)
3 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 (6 oz) pkg fresh baby spinach
3/4 c sweetened dried cranberries

Combine squash and onion in large shallow pan; drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss lightly.

Roast 55 minutes at 350 degrees or until tender and brown. Add spinach and dried cranberries; toss and serve.

NOTES
From Wegmans.
Pretty good.

Butternut Squash Soup with Cinnamon Croutons

Croutons:
4 oz French bread (1/2 loaf)
3 Tbsp melted butter
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt

Cut bread into 3/4" pieces (you should have about 4 cups). Toss with butter, cinnamon and salt. Spread in a jelly-roll pan and bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden.

Soup:
1 medium leek
3 Tbsp butter
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 1/2 lb), cut into 1" pieces
2 1/4 c water
1 3/4 c chicken broth or vegetable broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c half & half or light cream

Cut off root and trim dark top from leek. Cut leek lengthwise in half. Cut white and pale green parts crosswise into 1/4" thick slices. Discard dark green part. Rinse leek in a bowl of cold water, swishing to remove sand. Transfer to a colander to drain.

Melt butter in a soup pan over medium high heat. Add carrots, onion and leek. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion and leek are light brown (about 10 minutes). Add squash, water, broth, and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 15-20 minutes or until squash is very tender.

Puree until smooth in a blender or food processor. Return to soup pan and stir in half & half or cream. Heat through but do not boil. Serve hot topped with croutons.

NOTES
From Good Housekeeping perhaps? Not sure.
Untried.

Sweet Potato and Pear Casserole

4 medium sweet potatoes or yams; peeled, cooked and mashed
1/4 c melted butter
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp grated orange peel
1 (16 oz) can pear halves, syrup reserved

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a greased 1 1/2 quart baking dish, combine potatoes, 3 Tbsp of the melted butter, sugar salt and cinnamon.

In a medium saucepan, blend honey, remaining 1 Tbsp butter, orange peel and 3 Tbsp reserved syrup; bring to a boil.

Arrange pear halves over potatoes; then pour honey mixture on top.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden.

NOTES
I think this comes from Mr. Food.
Untried.

Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

2 1/2 c flour
2 c sugar
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 beaten eggs
1 c pumpkin puree
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 c peeled chopped apples

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; prepare 18 muffin cups.

Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin and oil; add to dry mixture and mix well. Fold in apples.

Streusel:
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 c sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 tsp butter

Combine flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over muffins.

Bake 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees.

NOTES
From allrecipes.com.
In place of pre-made pumpkin pie spice, I use any combination of cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and/or nutmeg.
The streusel makes too much -- I usually double the muffin batter but keep the amount of topping the same.
Family favorite!

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

2 c pumpkin puree
3 c flour
2 c sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp salt
2/3 c vegetable oil
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; prepare 12 muffin cups.

Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and combine thoroughly without overmixing. Spoon into muffin cups.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

NOTES
Original source unknown, but this is just a basic pumpkin muffin recipe with perhaps more spices than most. I leave out the nutmeg in consideration of the boyfriend's preferences.

Pumpkin Spice Bread

2 c canned pumpkin
3 c sugar
1 c water
1 c vegetable oil
4 eggs
3 1/3 c flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp ground cloves

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large mixing bowl; beat until thoroughly combined.

In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, beating until smooth.

Grease 2 loaf pans and dust with flour. Divide batter between the two pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10-15 minutes, then remove from pans to cool completely.

NOTES
Original source unknown.
This is my standard pumpkin bread. Good with chocolate chips or cranberries folded in.
Sometimes replace some of sugar with brown sugar, and/or some of oil with applesauce.

Cranberry Apple Crisp

4 cups sliced apples
2 cups fresh cranberries
1/4 cup brown sugar

Combine fruit with brown sugar and spread in a greased 2-quart dish.

3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal
4 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 to 1 tsp cinnamon

Combine topping ingredients, cutting butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over fruit. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until fruit is soft.

NOTES
Source unknown.
Delicious! Cranberries really liven up a standard apple crisp.
The topping makes way more than you really need; could probably cut it in half and still be okay.