Recipe- Acorn Squash and Apple Soup with Potato Latkes

So today is a double recipe day. Since I have my lovely new stock pot (see the chili posting), I decided to make something else in it- acorn squash soup. I've been dying to make this ever since it turned cold. The latkes are also something that I've wanted to try making for awhile, and I thought they would go nicely with the soup (both of these are first time tries, recipe wise, so hopefully they go well.) It's a very hearty, fall-y meal. The soup recipe is by Ina Garten, and if any of you watch Food TV, you know the Barefoot Contessa, and you know that everything she makes looks absolutely phenomenal.

Okay, so, here's the rundown. I'm exhausted! That was quite the labour intensive meal. I've linked to the actual recipes, so I'll just outline how I altered them (I can never leave a recipe alone!)

Soup: I used acorn squash instead of butternut (Sobey's didn't have any acorn), and it still tasted great. Instead of peeling and cutting up the squash and then simmering it in the soup, I roasted the sqash in the oven and just scooped the flesh out of the skins. I simmered the apples in the water while the squash was roasting, and then added the squash and pureed it right away. I have one of those hand-held immersion blenders, so the hubby just buzzed it right in the pot. The combination of the hint of curry, the squash, and the sweetness of the apples is lovely. Add a dollop of sour cream on top, and it's perfect.

Latkes: This recipe is annoyingly vague, which I didn't realize until I actually started trying to make it. Like, for example, what exactly is a medium potato? I just guessed, and the consistency of the batter turned out fine. I would put in two onions next time, because by the time you finish grating one onion, you've lost half of it, and I enjoy the oniony flavour. Also for next time, I would make these much thinner so that they're more crispy (mine were a bit soggy). Also, make sure that you've got the oil going quite hot- the hotter the oil, the less of it the potatoes will absorb. And keep a box of baking soda handy in case of any pesky grease fires .

Overall, this was a really nice, gourmet-ish, and tasty dinner, but I was so tired by the end of it, I didn't have much of an appetite. I wouldn't suggest trying to make both of these recipes in one night, or else leave yourself the whole day to putter in the kitchen (this took me a good 2 1/2 hours to complete.) I definitely recommend the soup, though, and I know that it'll taste even better for lunch tomorrow.