Butternut Squash Soup Shooters

This is a great fall make ahead appetizer or first course. You can make the soup 3 days in advance whip up the maple cream a few hours before and reheat the soup and crisp the bacon when ready to serve. 

I ordered some soup shooter plastic glasses so I could bring these to a party but if you're at home a regular shot glass and small spoon would do. If you have any vegetarians in your group you can leave out the bacon and swap out the chicken stock for vegetable stock. 

Ingredients:

Soup:

2 slices bacon 
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 sprigs thyme, plus more for garnish 
1 bay leaf 
4 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced 
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced 
3 cups chicken stock 
Salt and pepper 

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Maple cream 
1/2 cup half and half 
3 tbsp sour cream 
2 tbsp maple syrup
Salt 

Directions: 

1. Crisp bacon in a large soup pan or dutch oven over medium low heat. Set bacon aside on paper towels and crumble into a small bowl once bacon is cooled. 

2. Add drizzle of olive oil (or use bacon fat) and garlic to soup pan with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for 1 minute. 

3. Add butternut squash, carrot, and apple to soup pan. Sauté over medium low heat for 3 minutes 

4. Add thyme, bay leaf, and stock to pan. Make sure to scrap any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add pinch of salt and pepper. Bring soup to a bowl and reduce to a simmer over medium low heat and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes

5. While the soup cooks make the Maple Cream - In a small bowl combine half and half, sour cream, and maple syrup and whisk until smooth. Season with a pinch of salt. You're looking for a sweet and salty cream to garnish your soup. 

5. Remove thyme stems and bay leaf and allow soup to cool for 5 minutes. Using an immersion blender or regular blender puree the soup until a thick but smooth consistency. Add in cayenne pepper and taste for salt and pepper. Can you refrigerate here if making ahead. 

6. To serve reheat soup and serve into small soup shooters. Top with a drizzle of maple cream and the crumbled bacon. You could garnish with some minced thyme leaves or chives as well but I preferred the soup without the extra thyme. 

Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs with Orzo

I wanted to make a different version of pasta with meatballs and found this Mediterranean recipe. It felt a little lighter and you could add as many veggies as you like.  

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. Olive oil spray

1 egg

1 lb. ground chicken

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh mint

1 tsp. paprika

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided

2 Tbsp. butter

1 1/4 cup orzo

3 cup chicken stock

2 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped

1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 cup crumbled feta

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. 

2. In a bowl combine egg, ground chicken, panko, mint, paprika, one clove of garlic, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. 

3. Form meatballs with a 1 1/2 Tbsp scooper and use your hands to make into smooth balls. Mix should make 12 meatballs. Place meatballs on prepared pan and spray olive oil over the meatballs. 

4. Bake meatballs for about 8 minutes until meatballs are slightly browned and cooked through. Remove from oven and seat aside.  

5. While the meatballs bake make the orzo pasta - In a large skillet over medium heat melt butter and add remaining chopped garlic. Cook while stiring for about 1 minute, do not allow the garlic to burn. Add orzo pasta and cook about 2 minutes until the orzo is lightly toasted. 

6. Add chicken stock to orzo and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over medium low heat. Simmer orzo uncovered, stirring frequently to orzo doesn't burn on bottom and cook until liquid is absorbed and orzo is tender, about 12 minutes. 

7. Once orzo is cooked add in the spinach, cherry tomatoes, lemon zest, lemon juice, and half the feta. Cook for about 2 minutes until spinach is wilted and taste orzo for seasoning. Add salt and pepper if needed. 

8. To serve put orzo into the bowl and top with 2-3 meatballs, a sprinkle of feta, and fresh mint to garnish.