Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Recipe is from Ina Garten (Food Network)

A nice fall soup recipe. 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large)
• 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
• 5 pounds butternut squash (2 large)
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet apples, such as McIntosh (4 apples)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups good apple cider or juice

Directions

Warm the butter, olive oil, onions, and curry powder in a large stockpot uncovered over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are tender. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot.

Peel the squash, cut in half, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into chunks. Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Cut into chunks.

Add the squash, apples, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the squash and apples are very soft. Process the soup through a food mill fitted with a large blade, or puree it coarsely in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.

Pour the soup back into the pot. Add the apple cider or juice and enough water to make the soup the consistency you like; it should be slightly sweet and quite thick. Check the salt and pepper and serve hot.

Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins

Recipe is from Our Best Bites. 

This was a hit at our house. So good! I love them warm, right out of the oven. 

Ingredients:

1 yellow cake mix (I didn't have yellow cake mix I only had white and it turned out fine)
1/2 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon (I used cinnamon)
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Streusel Topping:

1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter, softened

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350. Lin 2 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, oil, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Using an electric mixer, beat on low for 30 seconds to incorporate the ingredients and then beat on high for 3 minutes.

Toss the chopped apples in the lemon juice and then add the flour and toss to coat evenly. Fold the apples into the cake batter and then divide evenly in the lined muffin tin.

Whisk together all the streusel topping ingredients except the butter. Add the butter and cut it in with two  knives or a pastry cutter until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the cake batter.

Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for 20-30 minutes (this really will depend on your oven) or until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean. Makes 24 muffins.