Butternut Squash Soup

I never make soup. But here I am, banging out two soups in two days. Maybe I’ve changed my tune. This soup happens to be for the Thanksgiving. I will be in the presence of great cooks tomorrow, so this soup had to be good to stand up to the rest of the meal. It’s velvety, subtly sweet, and comforting. I will warn you that it took a good chunk of time to peel and chop the apples, onion and squash – other than that, it’s super easy. *This recipe is adapted from the Good Housekeeping cookbook.

Butternut Squash Soup

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion
2 medium butternut squash-peeled, seeded, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
2 medium Fuji apples--peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
14 ounces Vegetable broth
1 and 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoons fresh thyme (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup half and half

In a 4-quart saucepan heat oil. Add onion and cook till tender . Stir in squash, apples, broth, water, thyme salt/pepper. Heat to boiling over high heat, reduce heat to a simmer, stirring often until squash is very tender about 25 minutes.

Spoon third of squash mixture into blender puree until smooth. Repeat with rest of soup. If you like some chunky pieces in the soup, reserve some of the soup. 

Return puree to pot. Stir in half and half and heat through, but don't boil. Makes about 9 cups.