The first episode of Andover Newton’s monthly cooking show, “It’s All Communion,” will be available for viewing this week. In this episode, Melissa and Ned walk through the recipe for butternut squash soup (recipe below), which has been a staple of Andover Newton’s Thursday evening Emmaus gatherings, when we’re able to meet in person.

 

During the show, your hosts offer alternatives to the ingredients and ways to save money and/or find substitutions in your kitchen. They also spend time talking about the significance of the show’s title, as well as the Emmaus story, in which the question is asked: “Where has Christ been made known to you?” 

 

The show is informal and is filmed in real time, so there are no cuts or second takes. The idea and hope behind the show is that by recording the recipes being made in real time, viewers can enter into what becomes a conversation among friends preparing dinner together. There are groan-worthy jokes, a warm and inviting spirit, and moments of theological reflection that happen “accidentally on purpose.”

 

Melissa and Ned also welcome their first special guest to the show, Genna Beatty (YDS MDiv and Andover Newton diploma recipient 2020), who was Andover Newton’s first music minister for the weekly Emmaus gatherings.

 

Each month, your hosts will walk through a recipe for one of the dishes often served at Andover Newton’s in-person programs. We hope for fun, connection, tasty food, and community. 

 

Let’s get cooking!

 

 

Ingredients:

4 cups vegetable stock

4-6  cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 Granny Smith apples cored, unpeeled and chopped (or another type of tart apple, but red skin should be peeled)

2 medium butternut squash (or 1 large), peeled, seeded, and chopped in ½ to 1-inch cubes

2 sprigs fresh sage (sub. 1 teaspoon ground sage or thyme)

2 white onions, diced

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1/8 scant cayenne pepper

Pinch of ground cinnamon and nutmeg

1 can (unsweetened) coconut milk

 

Directions:

+Add vegetable stock, garlic, carrot, apple, butternut squash, sag, onion, salt, pepper, cayenne, cinnamon and nutmeg to slow cooker and mix.

 

+Cook for 6-8 hours on low, or 3-4 hours on high, until squash is tender and mashes easily with a fork. Remove and discard sage. Stir in coconut milk.

 

+use an immersion blender or blender (blend in batches).  Taste and season with more salt, pepper, and cayenne if desired.