Pears for Soup, Olives for Salads

The beauty of the two recipes that follow is that both are fast and easy to make. Both use readily available ingredients, and either recipe is filling enough to be a light meal.

Cooking a full-flavored soup is usually a lengthy process. However, the Curried Pear and Squash Soup takes less than an hour; the soup is especially good served with whole-grain bread. The salad, full of olives and avocado, is hearty and satisfying, either as a side dish or on its own.

AVOCADO-OLIVE

SALAD

1 cup torn spinach

1 cup torn leaf lettuce

1 small avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

1/4 cup pitted, chopped Nicoise olives

1 ounce Asiago cheese, cut into slivers

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Combine spinach, lettuce, avocado and olives in salad bowl. Toss gently but well. Sprinkle with cheese.

Stir together olive oil, mustard, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste in small bowl. Pour over salad and toss gently. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.

CURRIED PEAR AND

SQUASH SOUP

1 small butternut squash

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 medium-large ripe pear, peeled, cored and diced

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 to 1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup half and half

Salt

Freshly ground white pepper

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped salted cashews

Cut squash in half, remove seeds and place into pan containing 1 inch water. Cover and cook over low heat until fork-tender but not mushy, 20 to 30 minutes.

Squash can also be microwaved. Pierce in several places with knife tip. Place on paper towel and microwave on HIGH (100% power) about 6 minutes, or until squash is tender enough to peel and dice.

Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add squash, pear, curry powder and paprika and saute 5 minutes. Add 1 cup chicken broth and cook, covered, until very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

With slotted spoon, strain out solids, reserving broth. Puree solids in blender or food processor. Return to broth. Add half and half. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Heat through but do not boil. If soup is too thick, add up to 1/2 cup more broth.

To serve, divide soup between 2 bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon cashews. Makes 2 servings.