Butternut Squash, Apple & Carrot Soup

Today I'm going to share with you my favorite fall recipe. I make this soup once a year. One because it is a higher priced meal to make and two because once I've finally finished the one batch I am ready to save it again till the next year. A couple of years ago I came across this soup at the grocery store Earth Fare. They have samples of soup everyday and this particular day I got to try this soup. It was so good I had to try and recreate it! The soup was labeled with all the ingredients but not the measurements. So, I bought all the ingredients that day so the taste would be fresh in my mind and with a lot of tasting and hovering over the stove top I finally got to the store taste! I was so thankful! Thankfully it doesn't take as long to make and I now have my recipe! I wasn't sure if I was going to share because I love the idea of secret family recipes but then I thought what a disservice to others! I really hope you enjoy this special recipe!

There it is, my favorite soup!

Well, I didn't take step by step pictures this time because I have changed this recipe into a Crock Pot recipe, so there aren't very many steps now! The great thing about the Crock Pot is not only the ability to leave it but also the great smells it adds to your home! After only an hour your home will start to smell like Fall!

Butternut Squash, Apple & Carrot Soup

Here's what you need:

7-8 cups Butternut Squash cubed (You can use fresh or frozen or refrigerator bags)

4 medium Apples peeled and cubed (I usually use Gala or Fuji)

1 1/2 cup Carrots

1 medium Yellow Onion quartered

6 cups Chicken broth

1 stick Salted Butter

1/4 cup Honey

1- 1 1/12 cup cooking Cream Sherry

1 cup Half n Half

1/4 cup Sour Cream

1 tbsp Rosemary

1 tsp each Salt & Pepper

1/2 tbsp each Cloves, Nutmeg, All Spice

Alrighty! Step by Step:

Step 1: Veggies go in first.

Step 2: Add Sherry and Chicken broth, Spices, Honey and Butter (cut into tablespoons), mix well.

Step 3: Cook on low for 6 hrs or high for 4. This meal is great because it won't hurt it to cook for a long time but after two hours everything should be soft enough to mix!

Step 4: After it has cooked for the duration you need it to, puree. For this step, I have used it all! I have poured into a blender, used a mixer but now I have the best kitchen tool ever; the Cuisinart Smart Stick, which is an immersion hand blender! It works wonders!

Step 5: Add the Sour Cream and Half & Half, mix well.

Step 6: Taste test! This will be your time to see if you want to add anything else! Sometimes it needs more salt, sometimes more Sherry. :)

Step 7: Enjoy! 

I hope you all enjoy! I'm planning to make this again for Thanksgiving dinner as an appetizer! 

Favorite Crock Pot Recipe: 3 Bean White Chicken Chili

This is my favorite Chili Recipe. It was adapted from a Pinterest find and is now a staple meal at our home and events! For this post there is only one picture. Why you may ask? It is so simple!

3 Bean White Chicken Chili

Here's what you need:

4 Frozen Chicken Breasts
1 can each of Corn, Black Beans, Chili Beans, Kidney Beans
1 8oz pkg Cream Cheese
1 Ranch packet
1/2 tbsp each of Cumin, Onion Power, & Chili Powder

Step 1: Turn on Crock Pot
Step 2: Put all ingredients into Crock Pot- cream cheese on top. Cook for 6-8 hours on low.
Step 3: Before serving shred chicken
Step 4: Enjoy! Serve with rice, corn chips, sour cream, cheese... whatever your heart desires!

Bacon Cheddar Bites

Last Saturday I had the privilege to do my first Pampered Chef Party as a new consultant. We had a brunch party and this recipe was so yummy I had to make it for my husband! You'll see some of the Pampered Chef products displayed in this post as well. You can see the original recipe here, I changed it a bit- not on purpose this time but because I was doing it by memory and I love more garlic :).

Bacon Cheddar Bites

Here's what you need:

• 1 pkg of Pie Crusts (from the refrigerator section)
• 1 pkg 8oz Cream Cheese, softened
• 8 slices of thick cut Bacon, baked
• 1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, pressed

Preheat oven to 400

Step 1: I already had cooked bacon saved from the other day, but you'll want to cook 8 slices of Bacon on a baking sheet lined with foil at 350 for 12-15 minutes. Once cooled you can chop the slices into small pieces. I used my Manuel Food Processor for this step.

Step 2: Whisk the cream cheese, bacon pieces, cheese and garlic together.

Step 3: Turn your attention to the pie crusts. They will need to be softened. Then cut small round disks from the crusts. I used my Measure All cup to make the disks. Then I rolled the scraps and rolled them out. I don't like to waste! Place the disks onto the mini muffin pan and press them down, I used my Mini-Tart Shaper, but your fingers will work just fine. I was able to make 22 tarts with one pie crust.

Step 4: Scoop the Cream Cheese, Bacon, Cheddar mix into the shaped tarts. I used my small scoop- its a tablespoon.

Step 5: Place into your preheated oven and bake for 16-18 minutes.

Step 6: Enjoy! We ate them for breakfast :) But they are great appetizers too, I plan to make them for my next house guests!