The Hunts, Day 1 - We're Back, and We're Ready!

Um, I think...
I was planning on starting our 30 days on Wednesday, so that I could have today and tomorrow to plan for the week. But, I went to the store today with a list of necessities but no plans, and actually sat down to put my thoughts on paper when I got home. I decided to look at my receipts and see how many dishes I can come up with based on my purchases, and then figure out if I have enough to get us through the week. Here's what I came up with:

-butternut squash soup
-bakes sweet potatoes
-broccoli
-tomato soup
-ground pork with soy sauce and garlic
-green beans with sesame oil & rice wine vinegar
-tortellini pasta with mushrooms
-chili & corn bread
-chicken burritos or wraps (Am I allowed to use my store bought QFC roasted chicken if it's a leftover from before the challenge began?)

I figured I had about 5 main dishes, and would most likely have leftovers. It's a good start. So, I decided to start my 30 days today!

For dinner tonight, we had butternut squash soup with cherry pumpernickle croutons & bacon bits. I also made a batch of lentils for Vincent. I love lentils, but they do a major number on my stomach. David had an upset stomach today, so he skipped them as well. But, the soup was really super yummy! Everyone ate it happily, and Vincent even ate all the lentils.

Here's what I did:
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 each large garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1 each medium sized butternut squash, halved, seeded and roasted (350 degree F, 45 minutes - 1 hour)
2 cups Tall Grass Bakery cherry pumpernickle bread, cut into 1/2" cubes, without crust
1 cup thick bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces

-Sweat the onions, celery, carrots and garlic in a pan with olive oil & a pinch of salt, over medium heat. When the onions have turned translucent, add the wine. Turn up the heat and reduce most of the wine. Cover the vegetables with water, bring to a boil, then simmer until vegetables are tender.
-Scoop out the meat of the squash and add to the soup. Add any extra water as needed & bring to a boil again.
-Puree the soup, adding more water if needed. Season with salt and pepper.
-For the croutons, toss in olive oil, salt & pepper. Bake at 350 degree F for about 15 minutes, or until bread is dried and hardened.
-For the bacon bits, render the bacon in a pan at medium heat until crispy. Strain off the fat & set the bacon bits aside.
-To serve the soup, spoon into bowls and garnish with the croutons and bacon bits.