this happens to me every year!

It just happens so fast!!! As I drift through the long, lazy days of summer, I almost start to believe they will last forever, I do not even realize that every day precious moments of daylight are being stolen away. So quietly does this happen that I am completely taken by surprise when suddenly one day I realize the leaves are changing colors (& starting to fall), I reach for a sweat shirt for my early morning walk & I am a little shaken when I see pumpkins on my neighbors porches & mums blooming! My thoughts scatter like the leaves falling from the trees & I try to wrap my mind around the fact that once again, summer is over. The air itself changes, becoming a cool, crisp lacy blanket covering everything. Memories float up like old photographs...walking to school through the kaleidoscope of fallen leaves which we gather a press between sheets of waxed paper, picking apples with my Mom to make applesauce & the best applesauce cake in the world, carving pumpkins, Trick or Treating in my princess costume, Thanksgiving & finally Christmas. This of course conjures up vision of sugar plums & Christmas cookies which I will save for another day. But, back to Fall...instead of salads & light suppers of open faced tomato sandwiches we started eating rich, hearty soups & stews, made with wonderful ingredients like pumpkin or butternut squash!
I love butternut squash in almost anything..risotto, ravioli, pie, Au gratin, crisp, bread...&, I love soup! I can eat just about anything if it is chopped up or pureed into a soup. Now, it only makes sense that this time of the year one of the first soups I crave is butternut squash..so without further ado or another trip down memory lane,

 gingered butternut squash & pear soup
{printable recipe}

Saute' 1 chopped onion along with a about a tablespoon of freshly grated ginger in a little oil in a large pot just until the onion is tender. While the onion & ginger are cooking peel, seed & cut a large butternut squash into chunks.

Also, peel, core & chop 2 ripe pears.

Add the chopped butternut squash & pears to the onion mixture. I like to saute' it for just a few minutes. Stir in 4 cups of chicken broth (I use an organic, free range chicken stock that is low sodium, 99% fat free & has no MSG). Salt & pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat & simmer for about 15 to 16 minutes until squash is tender.

Carefully puree mixture (about a third at a time) in a blender, taking care not to overfill with the hot mixture. Reheat if needed.

Serve with creme fraiche & toasted pumpkin seeds! My, oh my!

Enjoy!