Hi All,

As I,m battling with a broken tooth(dentist on thurs for a crown!!!!!!so I,m nursing a temporary filling)I,m making alot of soup so this is what I made yesterday.....

Butternut Squash-Spinach-Chicken Soup
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6 1/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, about 4 ounces each, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 1/2 cups diced butternut squash
4 cups chopped fresh spinach
1 cup cooked or low-sodium canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

I . Heat 1/4 cup broth in a large pot. Add chicken, onions, nutmeg, and cumin, and sauté until onions begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Stir in jalapeno pepper.

2. Add remaining broth and squash. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

3. Stir in the spinach and chickpeas, and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Serves 6 well

I served it with.......

Butternut Squash (or pumpkin) Muffins
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2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely minced
1 cup cooked butternut squash puree (approximately one small squash)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoons ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup dates, loosely packed, plumped, dried and chopped
1 cup yellow raisins, plumped and drained
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 F. Generously grease 3 small loaf pans (8 by 4 inch) or 12-16 mini loaf pans. Flatten out some muffin liners into mini loaf pans, if desired.

In a large bowl, blend the sugar, oil, eggs, squash puree, applesauce, vanilla, and lemon zest. In another bowl, stir together dry ingredients. Mix into wet batter, stirring gently but thoroughly and add nuts and dates.

Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans. Bake until loaves test done (a cake tester inserted into the centre will come out almost clean). 40-45 minutes for larger loaf, 25-35 minutes for mini loaves.

So as you can see it was biutternuts all the way except for dessert for which I made.....

Nutmeg and Cider Sponge with Jamaican Apple
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125g (4oz) unsalted butter
125g (4oz) caster sugar
2 fresh free range eggs
225g (8oz) self raising flour
bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
200ml (7fl oz) dry cider or Scrumpy
For the apples:
250g (9oz) granny smith apples, cut into slices
25g (1oz) unsalted butter
juice of 1 lemon
4 tbsp dry cider
1 tbsp raisins, soaked in brandy
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 cinnamon stick
4 tbsp double cream

Pre heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. Seive together the flour and bicarb. Fold in half the amount of flour. Add the nutmeg. Pour over the cider and mix thoroughly. Stir in the remaining flour.

Pour the mixture into a greased tin or individual ramakins. Place into the pre-heated oven for around 35-40 minutes. Leave to cook before cutting and serving.

Meanwhile make the Jamaican apples. Place the sugar and butter into a pan and heat until golden brown. Add the apples, lemon juice and cinnamon. Add the cider and bring to a rapid boil. Add the raisins and any soak liquor, keep to the boil. Add the double cream, bring rapdily back to the boil. Stir well. Rmeove the cinnamon stick.

Serve with the cake.

Hope you all have a great day
love Julie