My first blended soup

I have this weird thing against using blenders/food processors so until a couple of nights ago, the only kind of soup I would make is the kind that doesn't take blending, like chicken noodle or stew.  Butternut squash was on sale last week and I thought a butternut squash soup would be good.  I've never had butternut squash so it was two firsts for me! I racked my brain for a few days before making it, trying to think of something that would go well with it and I ended up deciding on pork chops.  They both seemed like good fall foods.  Luckily, the day I decided to make this meal, it was cold outside so it worked out perfectly!

To start, I made a marinade for the pork.  It's a honey-soy glaze that you make and then allow to cool which is why it was made first.  The ingredients were:

soy sauce

honey

onions

garlic

apple cider vinegar

red chili flakes

pepper

oil

To start, I sliced the onions and cooked them in the pan with the garlic until the onions were soft.  Then I added the chili flakes and cooked them for a bit.  

The vinegar was added next followed by the soy sauce and the honey.  This was cooked until heated through and then I removed it from the heat and put it into a bowl to allow it to cool.

While the marinade was cooling, I started on the soup.  The ingredients were:

butternut squash

chicken stock

carrots

onion

celery

cinnamon

garlic

nutmeg

salt

apple

pepper

To start, I chopped up everything-squash, carrots, onion, apple, garlic, and celery.  

The celery, carrots, onion, and garlic were added to the pot first to cook down some and soften.  After about 10 minutes, the squash and apple were added to the mix along with chicken stock.  This was allowed to simmer until the squash was softened. 

Once everything was soft, I put it into a blender, in batches, to make the soup.  Once it was all blended, it all went back into the pot along with cinnamon and nutmeg.

While the veggies were cooking and the soup was being processed, the pork chops went into the oven. I lined a baking dish with foil and spooned some of the marinade on top of the chops.  I let them cook for about 30 minutes covered and then flipped them over and repeated the marinading process.  Then, I let them cook for another 30 minutes uncovered.  Make sure to set aside some of the marinade.

I'm usually scared to cook pork in the oven just b/c I worry about it drying out and overcooking but since it was cold and really windy outside, it was my only option.

 To top finish the soup, I added some freshly cracked pepper, parmesan cheese, and a dallop of sour cream just to cut the sweet.  I served it with some french bread.

To finish the pork chops, I spooned some more marinade on top of the pork chop.

The entire meal worked out very well together.  The pork wasn't dry at all which was a relief to me and the soup was great.  The pork was even good when mixed with the soup (via dipping method).  I think after this night, I am more likely to make soups with the blender instead of being too lazy to use it.  It made for great leftovers the next day since we have both been a little sick and it's been cold outside.

Until it warms up....the cold weather recipes will continue!