Butternut Squash Soup and a Laundry List of Triumphs...errr...Excuses.....

Yes, that's right. I have reached a whole new low as a "blogger." (I am having to use quotations now because I hardly think I even deserve the title.)
I am pushing two months on my absence this time and the sad part is that it doesn't even feel as though it's been two weeks. Catering, holiday parties, our engagement party, holiday dinners, family dinners, birthday dinners.... holy hell it's been a busy few months.

Dear Holidays: You are wayyyy too needy, you bitchy little time whores.

Ok. So Let's do a quick review of that awesome/pathetic list above.

Catering.
Yup. I catered my first party... or as Richard says "My 23rd party" because apparently honesty is a sign of weakness.
My boss asked me to cater her book release party for 100 guests and it was a huge success.
I got asked for my business card several times, so now I am planning on making some.

A serious cheese spread.

Crostini with buratta and shaved black truffles.

Toast with goat cheese and fig jam with shallots and port.

Heirloom tomato bruschetta.

Melon wrapped in prosciutto. 

Our Engagement Party.

We decided to wait until the busiest time of the year to announce our engagement to our family and friends. Genius. Not only was I cooking Thanksgiving dinner for 15 guests two days later, but I ended up booking a commercial and shooting for 14 hours before our party. I am super woman.... who has a really super fiancé and best friend who helped me pull this one off.

DomainLA Wine Shoppe was the PERFECT place to host our party. 

We could not have been happier. 

Thanksgiving Dinner. 

The single most important meal of the entire year looked a little like this:

1 insane menu (yes, with 2 turkeys) 15 family members and close friends, probably 18 bottles of wine and 1 amazing holiday.... it could not have been more perfect and it was so wonderful to have everyone in town!

Ok.... the moment you have all been waiting for-----

I am actually going to post a recipe. 

Yes, I do remember how.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

2 pounds of butternut squash, cubed***

2 cups of chopped yellow onion

5 whole cloves of garlic

4 cups of chicken stock

Olive oil

Dash of cinnamon and nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

***Note: Peeling butternut squash makes your hands peel and get super dry. Wear gloves..... or buy it already cubed like I do. Lazy.

Kitchen Utensiles:

Immersion Blender (A regular blender will do just fine.)

Method:

Place cubed butternut squash in a glass baking dish lined with parchment paper or foil. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper and bake at 375 degrees for about an hour until very tender. Halfway through baking, add the whole cloves of garlic to the squash so that they roast as well. 

In a large pot, add about a table of olive oil and sauté the onions until they are golden brown. 

Add the roasted butternut squash and garlic and continue to brown for a few minutes. 

Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. 

Season with cinnamon and nutmeg (optional)

Once the soup has come to a simmer you can blend until smooth. I always use my immersion blender because it is SO easy, but if you don't have one, you can pour batches into a regular blender and blend until smooth that way. I just always make a HUGE mess that way.

Add salt and pepper to taste.