a 3 oz. portion of spicy curried butternut squash soup with creme fraiche
garnished with toasted coconut, chopped cashews, dried pomegranate arils
As I tinker with my table setting ideas for our holiday parties
here’s what’s been playing on the stereo:
This year’s Christmas Compilation is a mix of classic and contemporary.
Play List
Dean Martin – A Marshmallow World
Rod Stewart & Dolly Parton – Baby It’s Cold Outside
Bing Crosby – It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas
The Christmas Party Singers – Mary’s Boy Child/Oh My Lord
Eartha Kitt – Santa Baby
Elvis Presley – Blue Christmas
Jimmy Buffett – Mele Kalikimaka
Barbra Steisand – Jingle Bells?
The Carpenters – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Andy Williams – It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
The Beach Boys – Little Saint Nick
Frank Sinatra – White Christmas
U2 – Christmas, Baby Please Come Home
Louis Armstrong – Winter Wonderland
The Carpenters – Merry Christmas Darling
Elvis Presley – Here Comes Santa Claus
Stevie Nicks – Silent Night
The Carpenters – The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
Johnny Mathis with the Percy Faith Orchestra – Sleigh Ride
Jimmy Buffett – Christmas in the Caribbean
Burl Ives – Holly Jolly Christmas
What are you listening to as you bake cookies, trim your tree, and plan your holiday menus?
curried butternut squash soup with creme fraiche recipe
Toss a cubed butternut squash, two sliced apples, and one chopped onion with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in 425° oven until tender, about 40 minutes. To achieve a smooth texture, process the vegetables through a food mill, then combine in a pot with enough vegetable stock to get a thick soup consistency. Heat and stir in curry powder, cayenne pepper, creme fraiche and finally salt to taste.
Ladle the hot soup into small glasses or bowls.
Garnish with dried pomegranate arils, toasted coconut, and chopped cashews.
The fragrant curry with a kick from cayenne pepper made this soup a bit hit. Creme fraiche added a tangy creaminess and richness. The unique garnishes added an unexpected twist to a classic cold weather soup. Finally, since we were serving many courses, the mini portion was just enough to titillate the guests with anticipation of the meal to come at A Foodie Christmas Dinner Party…
happy holidays and happy entertaining!
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a prettier bowl of soup. You know how to take something simple and turn it into something extraordinary. All I can say is Wow! Thank you so much for sharing with me and your kind words on my blog. Happy Holidays!
What a lovely starter for a holiday dinner!
All the best to you in 2011,
Joan
Lori Lynn, That table setting is stunning as well as the soup! You are the best. Happy holiday to you and your wonderful family.
Marie
Happy Holidays to you and the family dearest LL.
What a beautiful soup! And the table setting looks absolutely lovely! I really like the presentation of the garnishes, very creative touch 🙂
I’ll take that plate and everything on top of the soup. Very sexy!
Merry Christmas, LoriLynn!
The presentation on this soup is perfect!
LoriLynn,
Your table is just gorgeous! So colorful and festive. I would be very happy to be a guest at your table.
Merry Christmas!
oh my, anyone who knows you must want to be invited to your home for dinner!!! this spread is fabulous and so is your playlist. you have excellent taste, and style!
Happy Holidays to you, dear Lori Lynn.
I love your mini portions and the topping “bar” – what a fun, festive soup!
Such an amazingly lovely soup, and the presentation with this garnish is superb 🙂
wow festive as all get out. makes me long for winter while it is independence day.