Soup Season

I love soup. I can eat it anytime…on the hottest summer day or chilly winter afternoon. Anytime. But I get particularly excited this time of the year when I start making my homemade soups more frequently…(as not everyone shares my year-round, day in day out, love of soup.) It’s also the one kind of thing I make in the kitchen where I often follow my own tried & true recipes, not somebody else’s, which is sort of an exciting feat in its own right. A year or two ago I developed this Butternut Squash Soup recipe that we’ve really grown to love. It is perfect as a little side item at a Fall party. Or on a cool Autumn evening, alongside a hearty sandwich. I served this soup in little tea cups last Fall at our house-warming party…and I think it was enjoyed by most everyone.
So without further ado, my recipe follows…Oh, and please keep in mind that exact measurements are not my thing (as you’ll soon see below), especially when dealing with ingredients that can vary in size (ie: squash), so I tried to give approximate measurements…but let your taste buds be your guide! Happy Fall Cooking!

Butternut Squash Soup:

Ingredients:
~ 3-4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
~ 1 small onion, diced
~ 2-3 celery stalks, diced
~ ½ tsp sea salt
~ pepper (freshly ground)
~ ¼ tsp thyme (dried, but I suppose you could try fresh too)
~ 2 Tbsp butter (and/or a little olive oil works great too)
~ 2 tsp honey
~ 2 cups chicken broth (depending on how big your squash is, you may need another cup or so…and you could use vegetable stock too…I like Swanson’s low-sodium broths)
~ 1 butternut squash, roasted
~ ½ cup cream (or so…I usually just pour until I reach desired creaminess)
~ 1 bay leaf
~ brown sugar or pepitas* (optional but highly recommended…for garnish)

Directions:
1. Cut squash in half, scoop out seeds, and place cut sides down in a baking dish. Bake for approximately 40 minutes at 375 degrees. (Again, this will vary depending on the size of your squash…poke it with a fork to check if it’s tender…should be good and tender when poked.)
2. Sauté garlic, onion, and celery with butter, salt, pepper, and thyme until translucent (about 5-7 minutes or so) in a stock pot/soup pan.
3. Add honey to stock pot and stir in.
4. Spoon roasted squash from shell and add directly to stock pot.
5. Cover squash and veggies with chicken broth, add bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Then simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes.
6. Remove pan from heat and let cool.
7. Puree soup in a blender/food processor until smooth. (You may need to do this in a couple of batches.)
8. Return soup to pan, add cream, and slowly reheat soup to serve.
9. Garnish soup with pepitas* or sprinkle with a touch of brown sugar. Enjoy!

*Note: You can often find pepitas in the bulk section of your grocery store. Or make your own toasted pumpkin seeds by rinsing, draining, and drying them thoroughly. Coat with oil or butter and seasonings (salt, seasoned salt, garlic powder, etc). Then bake for about an hour at 250 degrees.