Thanksgiving is a day to count our blessings, eat too much and nap! We love preparing for the holidays and cooking a feast, but we know it can be stressful. This Butternut Squash Apple & Ginger Bisque is a Thanksgiving staple in our house. It is delicious, easy to make and the perfect combination of fall flavors. Try making it this year and let us know what you think! If you don’t want to make it yourself— this dish is available for Thanksgiving Pickup! As you prepare for the holiday, Dan has a few tips to help you not only survive, but thrive this Thanksgiving.

It’s all about the prep work:
Choose recipes that can be prepped and cooked ahead of time. Make yourself a schedule and start your cooking a few days out – that way your Thanksgiving Day is fairly simple – just pop the turkey in the oven and reheat your sides once the turkey comes out…make sure to keep that bird covered in foil so it stays hot while the sides heat.

Leftover Storage:
We all like to make a plethora of food for Thanksgiving Day…but how to store it safely? Maximize the space in your fridge by storing your food (and your leftovers) in square stackable foil tins w/ lids. Pick these up at any party store and make your Thanksgiving easy. Bonus to these is that they can go from the refrigerator to the oven.

Butternut Squash Apple & Ginger Bisque

2.5 lbs. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1” dice
1 lb. Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1” dice
1 ½ cups diced onion
3 Tb canola oil
6 cups vegetable stock
1 TB ground ginger
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp salt

Sauté the squash, apple and onion in the canola oil over medium heat. Stirring often so the mix doesn’t stick, allow the onion to become translucent. Add the stock, ginger and salt and simmer for 20 minutes, until the squash is soft.

Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth.

Return to the saucepan and stir in the cream. Place over low heat and simmer an additional 10 minutes. Serve immediately or let come to room temperature before refrigerating.
Garnish with apple chip and parsley leaf.

Serves 6 – 8