Sausage & Squash Soup | Florida Prepaid College Plan

Disclosure: This post is written in partnership with Florida Prepaid College Foundation as a member of their Believer Bloggers program. As always, all opinions here are my own.

Well, we are almost through the September birthday rush, which means we are also going full speed ahead toward my little guy's SECOND birthday! {It's in November, but moms start thinking about this sort of thing early on.} It's so cliche, but it's completely true that kids grow up in the blink of an eye. One night you put them to bed in their footie pajamas after reading Goodnight Moon, and the next day they wake up you're dropping them off at their college dorm {hopefully not while wearing their footie pajamas}. :: sniffle ::

In most ways, I'm nowhere near ready for Cole to grow up, especially since I particularly enjoy this age. But in other ways, my husband and I have been planning for Cole's future since he was just a tiny little bundle. For us, part of the plan includes saving for his college education, should he choose to pursue one.

Carry on the legacy, son. Go Gators! 😉

The thought of saving for college can sure be daunting for new parents, especially when you're still adjusting to the extra expenses that come with caring for a newborn. But I'm here to tell you that it's totally possible, even if you don't think you have enough to put away. {My husband and I are both small business owners, so we know how that goes!} Florida Prepaid College Plan gives us peace of mind knowing that we will be contributing to Cole's educational future so that the financial burden is lessened when the time comes take the next step in his schooling.

What is a Florida Prepaid College Plan?

"The FPCP allows families to prepay the cost of college tuition, required fees and dormitory housing
based upon projected future costs. When your child is ready for college, the plan pays the tuition and registration fees covered under the plan at any Florida College or State University."

In other words, putting your pennies aside for college today will mean less headaches tomorrow and a chance at a student loan-free future for your child. Better than a pony!

What if my kid decides to go college out of state?

Then, off with his head! Just kidding! "If your child attends an out-of-state college or private college, the plan will pay the same amount as it would pay at a public college or university in Florida." Whew! {We've already told Cole that he can attend any school except FSU.}

How do I pick the right plan for our family and budget?

Here is the best news: There are all kinds of plans that can help you make a dent in college savings. Check out their options to see which is the right fit for you!

Ugh, I wish someone would just send our kids to college for free.

Hey, me too! And who knows, maybe they'll be sports or music prodigies and get a full ride. But just in case, let's stay on the safe side and save. OR if you're a legal resident of Florida with a kiddo {or grandchild!} from newborn to 8th grader ... enter to win one of ten 2 -Year Florida College Plan scholarships and take your chances! {No, but really -- just start saving today.}

Ok, fine. In case I don't win, where can I sign up for a Prepaid Plan?

Prepaid Plans are available for purchase during Open Enrollment, which begins October 15, 2016 and ends February 28, 2016. That means you've got some time to read up on the best plan for your family.

Also, I'm here for the food. Can you stop talking about savings and college and futures and growing kids? You're making me anxious.

YOU GOT IT! But if you have any questions or need more information than you know what to do with, be sure to stop by FPCP's website!

. . . . . . . . . . .

Since we're on the topic of saving, let's talk about budget-friendly food. Despite the fact that my whole world revolves around cooking and eating, we actually don't have a crazy food budget at all. Most weeks I do the majority of our grocery shopping at Trader Joe's, where I've found that I can get the most {organic} staples for the least amount of money. I can usually buy enough to feed our family of 3 {though I really cook for 4 with the way the husband eats} for anywhere between $90-$115 a week. Occasionally, I'll stop in to other grocery stores during the week if we're running low on something {it's almost always bananas}, but most of the time I can stretch it out all the way through Friday.

Once every 6-8 weeks, we head to Costco to stock up on items that might otherwise become expensive if we didn't purchase them in bulk: meat, nuts, almond butter {and real butter around the holidays when I'm baking non-stop} and quinoa.

Aside from that, I call on my kitchen creativity to keep the cost low and the meals enticing.

Fall is a great time for keeping food on the cheap because there are so many great, seasonal options. This Sausage & Squash Soup makes a warming fall meal that won't break the bank. There are good deals for squash of all sorts around this time of year, so stock up, break it down and freeze for future use. {Or cheat and buy the pre-cut squash that saves time and fingers if you're willing to splurge a bit.} Red bell pepper can be on the pricey side, so I used jarred roasted red pepper for the same effect -- it lasts longer and usually contains more than one pepper inside.

You won't think about the fact that you're keeping things budget-friendly while you enjoy a hot bowl of this tasty soup, but you will be proud when you've got extra pennies to put away!

Sausage & Squash Soup

The Kitchen Prep

This Sausage & Squash Soup makes a warming fall meal that won’t break the bank. There are good deals for squash of all sorts around this time of year, so stock up, break it down and freeze for future use.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Total Time 50 mins

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

• 1 pound Italian chicken sausage {or pork if you prefer}
• Half of one large onion diced
• 1 large garlic clove minced or grated
• About 3 cups squash* peeled, seeded & diced {I used acorn squash}
• Scant ½ teaspoon ground sage
• Sprinkle of red pepper flakes
• 2 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup water
• 1 red bell pepper diced {or one roasted red pepper}
• ½ cup half and half {use heavy cream for richer soup or milk alternative for dairy-free}
• 2 cups spinach

Instructions

 

• Heat about 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet and add sausage. Cook until browned. Drain if necessary, and set aside.
• In a large pot, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and cook until onions are softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add diced squash, sage and red pepper flakes and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Pour in chicken broth and water and stir. Bring to boil and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes or until the squash is very tender and easily pierced with a fork.
• Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture until completely smooth. Alternatively, you can pour the mixture into a blender and blend in batches -- just be careful as blending hot liquids can cause the lid to pop right off! {Not that it's ever happened to me or anything...}
• Add diced red bell pepper and simmer until the pepper is tender, about 4-6 minutes. {You can skip the simmering if you're using a roasted red pepper as it is already soft.}
• Stir in half and half {or milk alternative}, spinach and cooked sausage and heat until the spinach is just wilted.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste. {I didn't add any extra salt because the sausage is salty enough.}

Notes

I adapted this recipe from the Cuisine at Home Magazine: Soups, Stews & Chilis.

*Butternut squash would work well here, but I had acorn squash so that's what I used.