Thanksgiving Leftovers

 With just a little over a week left before the biggest foodie holiday of the year, I hope you are putting the final touches on your menu. I can almost smell the turkey roasting and taste the pumpkin pie. It is officially time to get excited.

With the big meal planned, maybe it is time we start to look past Thanksgiving itself, and begin to brainstorm what we are going to do with all those leftovers. 

Sure there will be turkey sandwiches and other dishes made from what was cooked and enjoyed. But what about leftover ingredients? The stuff you bought too much of and didn't use? This year I decided to focus on those for leftover inspiration.

This copycat soup recipe comes from a dish Panera customers look forward to every fall. Their Autumn Squash Soup is filled with flavor and a menu favorite. 

If you find yourself with an extra butternut squash laying around after all the holiday guests go home, or maybe you need to feed a few lingering ones, this tasty soup would be the perfect way to use it up.

Or if you are serving a multiple course Thanksgiving meal, this could also be a great addition to your menu as a first course. 

Squash soup is a thick, stick to your ribs meals perfect for a cold night. If you are looking for a thinner soup, simply add a little extra broth and/or cream. I garnished with crunchy croutons, but pumpkin seeds or other nuts would be delicious too. 

I hope you and yours have a very Happy Thanksgiving, filled with those you love most, sharing a tasty meal and making memories to last a lifetime. 

Copycat Panera Autumn Squash Soup

1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed

3 large carrots, peeled and chopped

2 apples, peeled and chopped

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree

3 TBS vegetable oil

3 cups chicken broth, more if desired

1/2 cup heavy cream, more if desired

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 TBS brown sugar

Salt and pepper 

Preheat oven to 425. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place squash on one baking sheet and onions and carrots on the other. Mix 1 TBS oil with carrots and onions and 2 TBS over squash. Roast for 20-30 minutes until fork tender. While veggies cook, mix apples and garlic with 2 TBS water in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly until tender. Set aside. When vegetables are cooked, add to pot. Add chicken broth and mix well. Using an immersion blender, puree mixture until smooth. Place pot over medium heat. Add cream, ginger, cinnamon, brown sugar and pumpkin. Stir well. Cook about 15 minutes until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. If too thick, add extra broth or cream to desired consistency. 

Happy Thanksgiving 2020

 We have arrived at the biggest foodie week of the year. My turkey is thawing in the fridge and my menu is set. (If your turkey is still in the deep freezer, consider this your friendly reminder!) 

There is no doubt Thanksgiving is going to look very different this year, for so many of us. But I am determined to make sure it is still a special, and delicious day for my family. A big (all 18 lbs of it!) beautifully roasted bird, green bean casserole, fluffy mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and dinner rolls will be hitting our table. Oh, and thanks to a delivery from my mom, her pumpkin pie complete with a tub of Cool Whip! 

No matter if your celebration is scaled back this year, or like me, you are cooking the same amount of food and just thankful for leftovers, if you're still searching for one more side dish, that one last thing to round out your menu, this tasty squash recipe could definitely be what you are looking for! 

We are big squash lovers around here. All kinds, Cooked all ways. But when I saw the addition of cranberries and pecans to this one, I knew it had to be the annual EMM Thanksgiving recipe. Squash, cranberries AND pecans...that screams turkey day to me! Autumn inspired flavors and such a pretty dish too. 

The maple syrup gives this a little extra hint of sweetness, and you can even serves some extra warmed syrup on the side for drizzling if your guests want more. 

However you are choosing to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, there is no doubt it has been a HARD year; but we all still have so much to be thankful for. Sure, there are days when those things are hard to focus on when it seems like the world is on fire. But for this one day, I hope we can all take a breath, look around at all we've been blessed with, tell those we love how much they mean, and eat ourselves into a happy food coma! 

Roasted Butternut Squash with Pecans and Cranberries

1 4-5 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

1 c. chopped pecans

1/2 c. dried cranberries

2 TBS olive oil

3 TBS maple syrup, extra for serving

Salt and Pepper

 Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl combine squash, oil, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Transfer to large baking sheet.  Roast for 20-30 minutes. Drizzle with syrup and sprinkle with pecans and cranberries. Bake for 10-15 minutes more until squash is fork tender. Serve with extra maple syrup on side if desired. 

 Shared at Weekend Potluck

Inspired by Sue Bee Homemaker