Recipe: Butternut Squash Soup

I've been craving soup lately. Sometimes I just don't really feel like eating, but a bowl of warm soup sounds good.  When you have frozen homemade stock on hand, making a quick soup is much easier than you probably think.  The homemade stock brings so much flavor to whatever soup you add it to that you don't need to season it much, either.  It's almost fool-proof.

(I'm running low on homemade stock, so I will cook up another chicken this weekend and make a post about it in the near future.)

Last night, I roasted some butternut squash as a side for our dinner.  This was a large squash, so I knew I'd have quite a bit leftover - seemed like a perfect time to whip up some soup for the following day!

(I confess I didn't take any great pictures of the process because - once again - I was doubting myself and wasn't sure it would be something I'd want to share.  Silly me.  I've decided to post the recipe anyhow because there are pictures online very similar to what I had on hand. My cell phone couldn't have done this well, though!)

 First, I cut the butternut squash lengthwise and removed the seeds.  I then removed the skin from the squash with a sharp knife and cut the squash meat into approximately 2" squares (not an exact science!).  I used my Misto to coat the pieces in a little olive oil (can easily sub coconut oil, but I'm out due to making a batch of fudge).  Then I sprinkled a little nutmeg on top (maybe 1/2 tsp - not necessary).


photo credit: http://momsinablog.com



On a cookie sheet lined with foil, I roasted the squash for about 20 minutes at 400 F, turning the pieces over halfway through.

If you're making the squash just for the soup, you could just cut the squash in half, lengthwise, remove the seeds, oil/season the inside and place it face down on a cookie sheet.  Cook at 400 F for about 40-50 minutes and then scoop out the insides.

So now... the soup!

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

• ~5 cups of roasted butternut squash meat
• 5 cups homemade chicken stock (or other flavor, if you prefer)
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• salt & pepper to taste



photo credit: http://www.tasteofhome.com
Mine looked this creamy...but without any dairy!



Directions:

Place everything in a bowl and mix with an immersion blender until smooth!  (You could also use a food processor, if you prefer.)

I prefer hot soups, but this one could be served cold as well - it's delicious either way.

Makes 6-8 servings.