Perfectly Fall Butternut Squash Soup AND Spiced Champagne

Happy Hallo-week Friends!  We sure have missed you. It's been a busy summer for both us and we're sorry we've neglected you. Don't worry though, we have so much fun doing this, so we are back and ready to get cozy in the kitchen this fall. Monique is 7 months pregnant and eating for two, which means I'm drinking for two, and I have to say this week's champagne concoction has me wanting all things fall. Accompanied with a delicately fall-flavored soup and I could be curled up next to a fire until February. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did making it.

Spiced Champagne

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 Gala or Honeycrisp Apple (cut in half)

2 cinnamon sticks (or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon)

1 teaspoon whole cloves

1 bottle Champagne/Prosecco

Apple spice simple syrup: 

Combine water, sugar, apple, cloves and cinnamon in saucepan. Bring ingredients to a boil and let boil for one minute.  Reduce head to a simmer and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. 

In a glass of your choice, place 2-3 blackberries at the bottom, set in lemon peel (for garnish), pour in Champagne and top with a 1/2 a shot of the apple cinnamon simple syrup. 

Butternut Squash Soup w/ a hint of Cinnamon

2-3 pounds of butternut squash, peeled and seeded

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, chopped  

4-5 cloves garlic, chopped

6 cups chicken stock  

Nutmeg or cinnamon to taste

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Cut squash into 1-inch chunks. In large pot melt butter. Add onion

and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.Add squash and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Use immersion blender and puree or place in blender. Return blended squash to pot. Stir and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve.