Winter Squash Soup

Easy, Smooth, Delicious Winter Squash Soup

Use butternut, acorn, delicata or hubbard squash. Or use fresh pumpkin! This soup can be prepared 2 days ahead and refrigerated. It freezes great.

Ingredients:

4 lb. Winter Squash or Pumpkin
2 T (1/4 stick) butter
1 med onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic - chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
5 cups (or more) vegetable or chicken broth
1 apple, peeled, cored, diced
1/2 C apple cider (optional)

Garnish (optional):
Sour cream or plain yogurt
Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with foil and coat with vegetable oil. Cut winter squash or pumpkin into large chunks, place on cookie sheet and bake in the oven until soft (approx. 30 min.) Remove from oven, cool, peel and cut into smaller pieces.

2. Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, garlic and nutmeg. Saute until onion is soft but not yet brown (about 5 minutes). Add peeled squash or pumpkin pieces, broth, apple, and apple cider. Bring to boil; then reduce heat and simmer uncovered until squash and apple are tender (about 20 minutes).

3. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper (or hot pepper sauce). If soup is too thick, stir in more broth. Heat and serve.

4. Garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt. Add some chopped cilantro.