comfort food thursday: engagement soup

the night that mr. frederickson proposed began with left-over soup.

we were both under the weather and curled up by the fire and the idea of putting our coats on to leave the cozy living room to go to dinner or to the grocery store seemed completely overwhelming. so, we dug through the freezer and found some concoction my mom had made a few months (i hope just months...) earlier and stuck it in the microwave. 5 minutes later we right back in front of the fire eating like kings - portuguese toast and chicken & squash stew. 20 minutes later, with full bellies, i said yes and we popped a bottle of champagne and danced among the dirty dishes.

so, long story longer, this soup is now our version of "engagement chicken" and therefore will always hold a special place in my heart and in our kitchen. so, if you guys are looking for a little leftover romance, give it a try. afterall, you just might be surprised by what can happen on a chilly tuesday night...

what you need:

• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 2 leeks, trimmed, chopped and rinsed
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme, or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 pound turkey (or chicken) cutlets, cut into 1/2-by-2-inch strips
• 2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• salt & pepper, to taste

what you do: Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add leeks and bell pepper; cook, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Stir in broth, squash, thyme and cumin; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add turkey and corn; return to a simmer and cook until the turkey is just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Add lime juice and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper.

{recipe via eating well}