Spider Soup

I LOVE this soup! It is actually an apple and butternut squash soup with yummy curry seasoning, but it is the perfect orange color for Halloween and it is fun to add a few fun embellishments to something that kids would normally cringe at (because what kid really likes squash soup, anyway?).

Here is the absolutely fabulous recipe:

Apple and Butternut Squash Soup

(I got the recipe from Holly Hollinger, who got if from Linnea Bruns)

3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

2 Large Onions, Chopped

2 Tablespoons good quality Curry Powder

1 Tsp. Chili Powder

5 Cups Chicken Stock, Homemade or low-sodium canned

1 Large Butternut Squash (Approximately 8 Cups),

Peeled, seeded and chopped

3 Firm, tart Apples (Such as Granny Smith),

Peeled, cored and diced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ Cup Heavy Cream

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or fresh cilantro

In a heavy skillet, melt the butter over medium hat.  Add the onions and sauté until translucent, approximately 5 minutes.  Add the curry and chili powders and cook for another 5 minutes.  Add half the stock and bring to a boil.

Transfer the mixture to a soup kettle, add the squash and apples, and season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the squash is tender.  Stir occasionally to prevent the vegetables from sticking to the pan.

Place the mixture in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until pureed.

Return the puree, reserved liquid, cream and the remaining chicken stock to a clean soup kettle and bring to a simmer.

Ladle the soup into warm soup bowls and sprinkle with chopped parsley or cilantro.

Serves 10

Note: The soup can be made ahead or frozen without the cream.

For the spider web I just make a blend of sour cream and milk, suck it up into a kid's medicine syringe and then slowly squirt it into a spiral starting from the middle of the soup. Then I take a tooth pic and drag it from the middle of the bowl to the outside to create the webbed look. With a few plastic spiders to add the finishing touch, this soup is a healthy, tasty, and fun Halloween treat!