Butternut Acorn Squash Bisque

I couldn't resist visiting this favorite. Butternut Squash soup is truly one of my favorites. In passing I came across a recipe that mixed acorn squash and butternut squash. Who can resist the flavors of autumn. This soup I put bought all the ingredients and literally just put the soup together. Although, after I made the soup I listened to The Splendid Table and heard more scrumptious items to put into the bisque.  My soup was very thick and creamy.

Butternut Acorn Squash Bisque
About 1 2 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch chunks
About 1  3/4 lb acorn squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch chunks
3 cups chicken stock
1 white onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, peeled and chopped with leaves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
3 teaspoons curry powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup almond milk
Place sauce pot on heat to warm over medium heat, and add olive oil to heat. Add celery, carrots, and white onion and saute until translucent. Add the garlic and brown slightly. then add the chicken stock and squash. Add the curry. Turn the heat down to low and cook for 20 minutes or until heated through. Once heated through, process the soup in a food processor until blended smooth, or blender, or with a hand blender.

I headed back to school like many of kids. I headed off to school online with Quinnipiac University. This is my first time heading to school online and I can say it is quite an adventure.

Quinnipiac University (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Enjoy the soup,

The Cake that Cassandra Made

 This is what I started with to make my cake for my birthday party.  I decided on a Strawberry Cake for Spring because the day before I had been outside for The Big Event with Quinnipiac University and my team was working outside and it was 39 degrees. We were all freezing but we worked hard despite the cold.

Along time ago I took a cake decorating class and although I enjoyed it I found I had some difficulty I found I was very much the perfectionist when it comes to creating the little roses, leaves, flowers, and etc.
Recently I attended the Cake Decorating with King Arthur Flour - Community Education Series hosted by Chef Dennis Littley and King Arthur Flour. The hangout renewed my interest in cake decorating once more.

 I purchased Wilton 9 inch cake pans just for the occasion from my local Jo-ann Fabrics store.

I sprayed the pan with no-stick cooking spray and the cakes came out of the pan very easily.

 I trimmed one of the cakes, but I don't know where my head was (actually I must have been having one of those blonde moments) because I didn't trim the top of the other cake as I should have.

 I purchased 2 cans of vanilla frosting.

 In order to not pull up the crumbs you have to really pile up the frosting.

 Now the inside of the cake is pink that is why I used the pink decorator frosting.

You can see the cake split, and this because I didn't trim the other cake. Split cake or not, the cake still tasted wonderfully.

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Seminar at Quinnipiac University with Elizabeth Stark on Free Culture

On March 25, 2010, I attended a seminar at Quinnipiac University on "Free Culture: The Future of Creativity, Collaboration, and Knowledge"
I would like to share the seminar with you because I found it quite informative as it deals with copyright on the web.

I hope you enjoy,

Cassandra