A New Martha

I don't care for the new Martha Stewart. She's the same ol' crafty bitch, but now she is trying to be more accessible to the everyday woman. No one really wants Martha to be accessible, they just want her to crank out the hottest new trends in D.I.Y. place settings. Her new show is awkward, pastel, and very Rosie/Ellen-like. Despite this, I loved her segment on teaching Marsha Cross how to fold a T-shirt properly (in 48 easy steps) and will be glued to today's segment where P Diddy will teach Martha to rap. In honor of her terrible new show and the upcoming Fall season, here is a butternut squash soup recipe from her website.

Pureed Butternut Squash Soup

Serves 4; Prep time: 25 minutes; Total time: 45 minutes

2         tablespoons butter
1         small onion, chopped
1         piece (2 inches) fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
2         garlic cloves, chopped
2 3/4    pounds small butternut squash, into 3/4-inch cubes
1/4       cup fresh orange juice
        Coarse salt and ground pepper
        Sour cream (optional)
        Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, and squash; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in 4 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer until squash is tender, 20 minutes.

2. Puree soup in two batches. When blending hot foods, allow the heat to escape to prevent splattering. Remove the cap from the hole of the blender’s lid, and cover with a dish towel. Stir in juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Serve hot, with sour cream, pepper, and pumpkin seeds, if desired.

Per serving: 185 calories; 6 grams fat; 3.1 grams protein; 34.5 grams carbohydrates; 9.3 grams fiber