Autumn Soup

I love fall days! The air is getting crisp and I feel the intense need to eat soup with homeade bread. After going to the grocery store, I saw those premade tortellini (spelled wrong?) packages. I threw it in my cart and decided to make something with it. When I got home, inspiration hit and I made the most satisfying soup ever! It tastes fantastic when you top it with fresh parsley and shredded cheese. If your grocery store has the pre-cut butternut squash, buy it. I think the convenience is well worth the money.
-Christine

1 package of tortellini (the spinach kind tastes great)
3 cups of chicken broth
2 cups of diced and peeled butternut squash
1 pound of italian seasoned sausage (turkey sausage works well too)
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 onion, diced
1 Tbl canola oil

*Over medium high heat, saute onion in canola oil. Add the sausage and crumble in the pan with your spatula. Cook until no longer pink. Add the broth, tortellini, squash and tomatoes. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Simmer until squash is tender (but not mushy!). Enjoy with fresh parsley and shredded cheese.

Chocolate Caramel Tarts

 

 I found this naughty treat on Pinterest...tried it...LOVE it!!!! It came from My Baking Addiction Enjoy this little goodie! I know my pictures are not very pretty but the sun went down and I needed to act fast before I ate them all! ~BJ

 

Chocolate Caramel Tarts

Yield: 12 Servings

Ingredients:

FOR THE CRUST

1 1⁄2 cups flour
1⁄4 cup plus 1 tablespoon dutch-process unsweetened
cocoa powder
1⁄4 teaspoon. kosher salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and softened
1⁄2 cup plus 2 tablespoons. confectioners' sugar
2 egg yolks, room temperature
1⁄2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE CARAMEL

1 1⁄2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE GANACHE

1⁄2 cup heavy cream
4 oz. Scharffen Berger Bittersweet Chocolate, finely chopped
Vanilla Fleur de Sel for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Prepare the Crust: In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, and salt; set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy; mix in yolks and vanilla. Add in dry ingredients. Divide dough into 12 tartlets using a greased muffin tin. Refrigerate tartlet shells for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, prick the tart shells all over with a fork. Bake in preheated oven until cooked through, about 13-15 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool.
2. Prepare the Caramel: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 6 tbsp. water and bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer inserted into the syrup reads 340° or until mixture resembles a light caramel color. Remove pan from heat and whisk in butter, cream, sour cream and vanilla (the mixture will bubble up) until smooth. Pour caramel into cooled tartlet shells and let cool slightly; refrigerate until firm, about 3-4 hours.
3. Prepare the Ganache: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring cream to a boil. Put chocolate into a medium bowl and pour in hot cream; let sit for 1 minute, then stir slowly with a rubber spatula until smooth. Spoon ganache evenly over tartlets and refrigerate until set, 3-4 hours. If desired, sprinkle tart with sea salt and slice. Serve cold.