Roasted Squash Soup with Apple and Brie

This is one of our favourites soups and is from the "The Rest of the Best and more" one of my favourite Best of Bridge Books.  

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash

1 carrot

1 medium onion

1 leek, white portion only

2 tbsp butter

8 cups chicken broth (if it is a smaller squash then don't add as much chicken broth)

1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped

1 Bay Leaf

1 tsp sugar

salt & freshly ground pepper

8 oz brie cheese

Snipped Chives 

Chopped onion and carrots

Chopped apples

1. Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds.  Place cut-side down on pan and bake at 350F until tender, about 45 minutes (or microwave cut-side down in a small amount of water, covered, about 10 minutes).  
2. Chop carrot, onion and leek into 1 pieces and place in a large pot.  
3. Gently saute in butter, do not brown.
4. Mash squash and add to vegetables.
5. Add broth and bring to a boil.
6. Add apples, bay leaf and sugar, simmer, uncovered for 40 minutes.
7. Remove bay leave and puree soup in batches.
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Slice of rind of brie and cut brie into 1/2 pieces  Place cheese in bottom of soup bowls and fill with hot soup.
10. Garnish with chives and serve.   Ooops didn't have chives, but I do love thyme :)

One of my favourite soups served with my favourite wholewheat flax seed bread.  

One of the best presents Jim has ever received from me was a bread machine.  He now gets fresh pizza dough every Friday and fresh bread every Saturday.  This recipe is from the "300 Best Canadian Bread Machine Recipes" by Donna Washburn & Heather Butt.  

Whole Wheat Flaxseed Bread

Ingredients:

For a 1.5 lb loaf

1-1/4 cups water

1/4 cup skim milk power

1-1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp packed brown sugar

2 tbsp vegetable oil

3 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup flaxseed, cracked

1 tsp bread machine or instant yeast.  

Put all the ingredients in the bread machine order they are given.  

Select Whole Wheat Cycle

I also do light crust.

And wait for the amazing aroma of fresh baked bread to fill your house.  How did they manage without bread machines