I say a little prayer....

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My eyes were heavy... There was a feeling of being weighed down .. An invisible force holding my head low and shoulders hunched..

I stretched on my bed, looked out the window at the breaking dawn, not registering the inane beauty that was unfolding before my unseeing eyes...

The night had been long.. I was still in the throes of its after effects...

And then.. there it was, the voice... tickling in my ears, drawing out a smile from my lips... Slowly but surely waking, nay, jolting me out of my masochistic reveries... Lifting my heart with passionate faith...

So, I woke up one day... Finally.. Blissfully... Smiling... Laughing... Realizing..

The feeling is sweeter than nectar.. Softer than any divine melody... Intoxicating as it is liberating...

Its about Understanding... Self... Being understood...

Knowing that you are not alone... Knowing that there will always be someone to hold you when you fall and lift you even higher...

Knowing that there is always a reason to smile because there are people who care and who I care about...

It is all a grand circle of love... And, I am in it!

To that I give Thanks....

And...

I say a little prayer for you... ;-)))))

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And, I will be back with travel posts shortly....


Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

I am remiss in not having shared this with you sooner. This is one of my best soups and perhaps the easiest one too! There are no distractions from the star that is the squash. This recipe makes enough as appetizer for two or main for one. I

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1 small butternut squash, de-seeded, peeled and diced

1/4 cup finely diced onion

1 cup water

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

2T butter

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 T heavy cream

Olive oil, salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F. Toss the diced squash in some oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Arrange the pieces in one layer on a baking sheet and roast for 35 minutes. Remove and cool.

Heat about a tablespoon of oil and a tablespoon of butter and saute the onions until translucent. Add the pepper, thyme and roasted squash and cook until the squash gets mushed up. Add water and bring to a boil. Let the soup boil for a couple of minutes.

Remove pan from heat to puree the soup. Return pan to the stove. Add the cream and bring the soup to boil. Add water to adjust consistency. Turn off heat, add the remaining butter and let it melt into the soup.

Serve immediately garnished with nuts or cheese or arugula. Squash soup thickens with time, so, when reheating add a bit of water to thin it out.