Fall Butternut Squash Soup (4 people)

1 tbsp butter
½ cup coarsely chopped onions
               Melt butter, add onions and cook in a pot until transparent

1 tsp curry powder
               Add to onion mixture and cook for 1 minute
1 ½ cup of chicken broth
½ cup apple juice
4 cups cleaned, peeled, cubed butternut squash
1 cup peeled, chopped pears
Salt to taste
               Add all ingredients in the pot.  Bring to a boil. 
               Cover and simmer on low for about 20-30 minutes or until squash is tender.
               Puree the mixture in a blender.
               Serve with a spoonful of sour cream, a pinch of nutmeg and parsley (optional)

Enjoy!!!
Bon appétit!!!

(Louise)

Pavlova

Pavlova is New Zealand’s light and fluffy meringue dessert named after the ballet dancer Anna Pavlova. Leftover pavlova can be stored in the fridge overnight, but will absorb moisture from the air and lose its crispness. Undecorated pavlova can safely be left overnight in the oven in which it was baked, to be decorated in the morning.

Ingredients

4 Egg Whites                                                                          2 tsp corn flour (corn starch)

Pinch of salt                                                                            1 tsp vinegar

1 ½ cups castor sugar

Method

Heat oven to 350F.  Line a baking tray with baking paper and draw a circle about 16cm in diameter.

Beat Eggs and Salt together until stiff, slowly add the sugar with the beater still running.  Beat for about 10 minutes at high speed until the mixture is thick and glossy.  (It should be thick enough to not fall from the beater.  Last of all, whisk in the corn flour and vinegar.

Use a big spoon and drop dollops of the mixture onto the baking paper into the circled area.  Form the mixture into the circle making swirls on the top rather than flattening to a disk.

Bake at 350F for 5 minutes then reduce oven to 265F for 1 hour.  DO NOT OPEN OVEN.  Let cool in oven completely (normally about 2 hours or so).

Decorate with whipped cream and slices of fruit.

CW