A hey cupcake kind of day: butternut squash and apple soup/ wild rice salad

Ingredients

For butternut Squash and Apple Soup:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large)
• 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
• 5 pounds butternut squash (2 large)
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet apples, such as McIntosh (4 apples)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups good apple cider or juice

Wild Rice Salad:

• 2 cups wild rice
• 4 cups water
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup dried currants
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard

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Preparation

• For butternut Squash and Apple Soup:
  Warm the butter, olive oil, onions, and curry powder in a large stockpot uncovered over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are tender. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot.
• Peel the squash, cut in half, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into chunks. Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Cut into chunks.
• Add the squash, apples, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the squash and apples are very soft. Process the soup through a food mill fitted with a large blade, or puree it coarsely in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.
• Pour the soup back into the pot. Add the apple cider or juice and enough water to make the soup the consistency you like; it should be slightly sweet and quite thick. Check the salt and pepper and serve hot.
• Wild Rice Salad:
  Bring water to a boil, add rice and lower heat to a simmer. Cook for 45 minutes or until water is absorbed.
• In the mean time, chop the celery and green onions and add to big bowl. Add cranberries, currents and almonds and rice.
• In a small bowl whisk together, olive oil, vinegar and mustard. Pour over rice mixture and combine all ingredients. Serve either warm or cold.