Butternut Squash Soup

Introduced by Holly during a Fall visit to Stamford, back in the day...

3 cups of peeled & cubed squash
1/2 a small/med onion, diced
2 Tbs butter
1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/4 tsp. dried marjoram
1/8 tsp. black pepper
"pinch" of :  *aka, 1/4 of your "1/4 tsp.," or 1/16 tsp.

• crushed red pepper  
• allspice
• nutmeg
• ginger

1/2 pkg. cream cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large soup-sized pan, saute onions in butter until tender.  Add cubed squash and stir for a few more minutes to soften. 
2. Then add broth & all seasonings.  Bring to a boil, and cook until squash is tender.
3. Puree all of it in a blender (may have to be done in a few batches depending on blender size).  Add to it, and blend--as well--the cream cheese.
4. Return the creamy soup to the soup pan and keep warm.  DO NOT boil, again.  *If needed due to thickness, milk or cream will thin-it-out a little.
5. Add 1 1/2 VINEGAR; stir in.  *This gives a little tang; we often stir red wine vinegar, as well, into our individual bowls.

VERY GOOD, and FILLING!

                   Princess Vera, By Iris.

Fall Cherry Pie, by Monica Simpson

This couldn't be easier or yummier on a brisk fall day.  Eat your hearts out crafty apple bee-yotches!

1 can cherry pie filling

1 bag cranberries (not dried)

3/4 c sugar

2 T cornstarch

Mix all together really well.  Pour into pie crust - I  use mom's recipe.  Cover with foil and bake 50-60 minutes until crust slightly browned and center bubbly.  We eat this with vanilla pudding.