I feel about 500 times better right now after a super successful morning…..I found a new local bank and cooked my first meal in my little kitchen!
What more do you need? Really.
Now, don’t hate me but I can’t reveal the actual recipe that I made…it’s all part of a secret project. I can tell you some basics though!
Butternut Squash Soup with Fire Roasted Chilies
So basically, I just roasted a butternut squash in my circa 1901 oven and made a pureed soup with it + caramelized onions, chilies, chicken broth, fire roasted chilies and then at the end, I stirred in some TJ’s chicken sausage for a little mmph!
Warning: be careful when trying this at home. I was a little worried about burning the house down.
I used two different kinds of organic chilies from the Zin Farm….can’t remember off the top of my head the exact name of them but I’ll ask Jeff. They were delicious!
I don’t have crackers or a toaster but I do have bread! 
The only little glitch that occurred this morning while cooking (other than spending 15 minutes trying to light the oven to turn it on) was that I accidentally cut my hand instead of the squash. Minor detail.
Have to run out to previously mentioned new bank and then, Target, because tupperware and scarves are clearly necessities. Right now the extra soup is in a measuring cup in the fridge. Tonight I’m heading to Hardy’s house for TACOctober! Basically he’s just making a million different types of tacos and everyone is bringing wine. I love it because Hardy is practically my neighbor and I can just walk over tonight. Living in Healdsburg really reminds me of when I lived in Charleston because you can walk everywhere! Totally my kind of city.
See you tonight!
{ 48 comments… read them below or add one }
Jenna,
I’m new to this blogging thing, but am totally loving it! I stumbled across your twitter a few months ago and have been following you ever since. I read everything you post and am basically addicted to your blog. I’m a mother of two young girls in St Louis, MO and have decided after many years of ‘half ass’ working out that I would push myself to run a marathon next November. The blog was originally designed simply as an online diary to keep me in check (if I think that other people are expecting something out of me I’m more apt to follow through) but now it has become an addiction and something I would love to turn into a source of income somehow. If you have any suggestions, ideas or words of wisdom I’m all ears. It would be really great if you would check out my blog as well. Let me know what you think. I’m really interested in taking it up quite a few notches as well as my training for this marathon next year.
Thanks,
Maria Sparks (realfitmama)
Your soup sounds lovely! I always need a little protein in all of my meals, too- for oomph and staying power!
The taco +wine party sounds awesome- have so much fun!
P.S. I LOVE your new header image- beautiful!
soup sounds fantastic and your little kitchen is too cute!
What a great way to roast a pepper! I never would have thought of that! …and when the fire dept. shows up at my condo, I promise not to tell them where I learned it
Glad you are getting settled in and fingers crossed that you will be staying in your cozy little attic!
What a great way to roast a pepper! I never would have thought of that! …and when the fire dept. shows up at my condo, I promise not to tell them where I learned it
Glad you are getting settled in and fingers crossed that you will be staying in your cozy little attic!
Sorry about cutting yourself, yikes!
I love your roasting pepper method, great job not burning anything down lol!
Have fun at TacOctoberfest!
Hey Jenna! I love the soup idea and so glad your getting to cook again, its soo theraputic! Butternut squash is sooo amazing! I just made a recipe with it too on my blog! And yes, scarfs and tubberware are a MUST! Love target!
Have fun,
Maggie
MYBREAKFASTBLOG.COM
Yum, yum, yum! Hope we get that soup recipe sometime!!
I love walking type towns too. That’s something I really miss about living in Minneapolis right out of college. Where I lived you could walk to get your groceries, go out to eat, shop, etc. Love those types of towns!!
Have a super taco night!
Ouch, hopefully skin and blood are not part of the recipe! Have fun tonight!
Ooo that flavor combo sounds magnificent. I have some of those sausages and I’ve been thinking of ways to use them.
Have fun with the tacos and wine! Sounds like you’ll enjoy
sounds like things are going more positively for ya! enjoy the dinner!
lo
sounds like thinks are going more positively for ya! that pepper on the stove is such a great idea, thank goodness it was safe!
xoxo
Lo
yum! the soup looks great…and congrats on not setting the house on fire- lighting the oven sounds scary!
How much fun! All these “firsts” are my favorite thing about going to new places
Wow..I would never attempt roasting a chili like that in my kitchen. Knowing my luck, my kitchen would catch on fire lol
Soup looks lovely though!
That soup sounds so good, but keep those pretty little hands of yours cut-free!
Enjoy the Tacoctober fest tonight, sounds like so much fun! I also love that pic of your kitchen cuz it looks SO homey with all the framed pics and all. So glad you seem to have found your niche up in NorthCal! It sounds like such a great fit for you!!
Your new header is stunning — love the colors!
That soup sounds awesome!!
jenna, you can make toast in the oven! turn it on to like 375 or so, and toss the bread in when you turn it on…. flip it once or twice and by the time the oven’s fully warmed up the bread is toasted… i haven’t had a toaster since i lived with my fam-no counter space for it!
That soup sounds awesome!!
That soup looks amaZING!!
Have a very fun time tonight – sounds like a fun get together.
Soup sounds so good! Your kitchen kinda reminds me of mine when I lived in my 1910 house, however I did have a microwave even though it was old as dirt! Have fun tonight
Looks delicious!
I’m impressed with you roasting skills!
We bought those same apple chicken sausages for tonight! I hope they are as yummy as they look!
That soup looks amazing! The new header is gorgeous too.
Absolutely love your new header! Very nice!
That sausage looks like a great addition to the soup. I want to go to a TJs so badly. It’s awesome that you can walk everywhere. Healdsburg sounds like a charming town. Can’t wait to find out why you can’t share the recipe yet!
That soup looks and sounds awesome. Plus, those chili’s look amazing!! When I first moved into my apartment one of the pilot lights on my stove (gas, too) was out…had to light that sucker, and it made me so nervous! haha Luckily, I am still alive and the apartment building still standing so it was a success.
Your little kitchen is cute! Sorry about your tiny bubble of internet
can you get a better signal somehow? Enjoy your tacos today!
Hmmm … could the project be a cookbook??
LOVE the new header, Jenna – and I’m so glad you didn’t burn your house down! LOL
LOVE the new header, Jenna – and I’m so glad you didn’t burn your house down! LOL
Yum looks like a good recipe! Tacos and wine = my perfect meal
I love your new header, Jenna! Blessings as you adapt to your new surroundings!
LOVE the header.
I love the new header. It is gorgeous. I think I would definitely burn the house down if I roasted a pepper on my gas stovetop. I’d forget about it.
I feel you on the subpar kitchen. I barely consider ours a kitchen. We’ve got a kind-of stove, a microwave oven, and a sink. Ta-da!
It sounds like you’re in better spirits today! You are LUCKY that you didn’t burn the house down missy.
great soup!
jenna
Trader Joe’s Smoked Apple and Chardonnay sausages are a staple in my house! They have the perfect mix of sweet and savory. Your meal looks amazing!
I just bought a Butternut Squash today! It was from a local farm as well. I would love to have that soup recipe! I can’t wait to hear what you’ve been working on that’s preventing you from posting it. I’m sure it’s well worth the wait. The new header is breath-taking! Is that an actual pic of the area that you work and live in?
Yum! Your soup looks awesome! Sounds like a lovely way to spend a Saturday afternoon!
Yummy! You’re making me crave squash hard-core!
Love the new header!!
Hey Jenna– After being inspired by your blog, among many others, I decided to start one of my own which I am also able to use for my college senior project. If you have time, check it out
http://elsjournal.wordpress.com/ Thanks!
Those look like cayenne peppers!
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