On Saturday, I put together another “sensational” crockpot (Company’s Coming: Slow-Cook Dinners is a real crowd-pleaser). Acorn Apple Soup was the recipe. It turned out with a consistency similar to baby food, but smoother on the tastebuds. The perks of Acorn Squash (besides being a wonderful fall harvest veggie) are that it’s an excellent source of dietary fiber and potassium as well as smaller amounts of vitamin C and B, magnesium and magnese. It was fun to cook the acorn seeds, although they totally didn’t last more than 5 minutes in the oven before they started zinging about and popping like popcorn! I served the recipe with cornmeal rolls and cheery crabapple juice! Yum yum! Here it is:

Acorn Apple Soup

2 1/2 lb acorn squash, chopped (about 8 cups), reserving 1/2 cup seeds
4 tart medium cooking apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled and cores removed, chopped
3 cups prepared chicken broth
1 cup chopped peeled potato
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp. finely grated, peeled gingerroot
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. cooking oil
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup reserved acorn squash seeds, rinsed and dried

Combine first 9 ingredients in 5 to 7 quart (5-7 L) slow cooker. Cover. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours. Remove and discard bay leaves. Carefully process with hand blender or in a blender until smooth. Makes about 9 cups (2.25 L) soup.

Combine cooking oil and salt in medium bowl. Add squash seeds. Toss until coated. Spread evenly in ungreased shallow pan. Bake in 300F oven for about 20 minutes, stirring or shaking often, until crisp and golden. Divide and ladle soup into 6 individual bowls. Sprinkle each with toasted seeds. Serves 6.

Make ahead: The night before, combine first 9 ingredients in slow cooker liner. Cover. Chill overnight. Seeds may be prepared the night before and stored in a covered bowl. Cook as directed.

PS: It serves 6.

Warning: I pinched a nerve and had a numb index finger from carefully removing the skin from the acorn squash!

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