Fresh1 - Fruits

“Creepy” Carrot Squash Bisque

1½ lb. acorn squash
3 to 4 carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
½ cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup milk
¼ cup sour cream
small plastic toy spider for garnish

Cut squash in half; remove seeds. Place in microwave-safe dish; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes or until squash is soft. Carefully remove skin and place squash in bowl.

In large saucepan, sauté carrots and onion in butter for 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken stock; simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Transfer chicken stock mixture to bowl of food processor*. Add cooked squash. Process until smooth; return mixture to saucepan. Stir in remaining ingredients except sour cream. Heat until warm, stirring constantly.

To make spider web, combine sour cream with 1 to 2 teaspoons prepared soup. Place mixture into a squeeze bottle. Draw spider web over soup. Place plastic spider on web.

Tip: Soup can be pureed in a blender. Puree half of mixture at a time.

Yield: 4 (1 cup) servings

The nights are getting colder, the days are getting shorter, and the fall harvest is ready to bring in. That means farm-fresh vegetables like onions, carrots, and sweet, colorful winter squash are at their best. These three versatile vegetables bring flavor and nourishment to your fall table. It’s easy to plan a fall meal that includes all three—check out our recipes for ideas. But each of these vegetables has its own special qualities and uses.

Onions (about | recipes)
Sweet, spicy, or tangy, onions have personality to spare—and form the base of many dishes, including soups, pasta sauces, and stir fries. Fresh1 sells green and yellow onions year round, and sweet varieties when they are in season. Onions are often seen as an accent vegetable—good in small quantities as a garnish or flavoring. But the higher the intake of onions, the healthier you’ll be, as they contain powerful compounds that lower blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure, and help cells function properly. Thry to get more onions into your diet for maximum flavor and benefit.

Carrots (about | recipes)
Carrots are one of the easiest vegetables to get into your diet. Just grab a bag of “baby” carrots for a fast, tasty snack. And your body will thank you: Carrots are bursting with vitamins, minerals, and beta carotene—a compound that can help reduce cancer and improve eye health. Their sweet, fresh flavor makes carrots popular raw or cooked. They are easy to add to a meal, too: From salads, to soups, to sides, carrots can find a place in nearly every meal. Try them sautéed with a little brown sugar for a comforting fall side dish that will warm you from the inside out.

Squash (about | recipes)
Truly a seasonal treat, winter squash appears in the stores when the leaves start to signal fall. There are several types of squash to choose from, including acorn and Hubbard. These hard-skinned squash, like a pumpkin, have dense, firm flesh and a hollow center filled with seeds. Scoop the seeds out and roast them in salt and oil for a nutritious treat. The flesh can be eaten in many ways, included roasted in the oven, pureed and added to soups or pastas, baked into breads, or even grilled. It’s bursting with vitamins and antioxidants, and it tastes great.