Butternut Squash Soup

We had a great thanksgiving!  We spent it at my sister's house and her husband's family was in town so it really felt like a big family celebration.

The best thing about the food at thanksgiving is being able to have all your traditional comfort food...and eating lots of it!  We were so stuffed hubby & I both fell asleep on the couch (ironically when dishes were being done...don't know how that happened!). 

I made my homemade Butternut Squash Soup and little french bread loaves.  It was really hard driving all the way to Vivi's house with fresh bread in the car but somehow we survived.  I'll post later my recipe for french bread :)

I love this recipe for the soup.  Its a one-pot easy soup that when you freeze it to store it tastes even better.  I usually this time of year buy up lots of cheap, in-season squash, make a big batch of soup, and freeze it in small containers as a quick meal for months to come.  Trust me, the soup with bread is enough of a filling meal to satisfy even Jeff's appetite.  And even better it's super low in calories.

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients: 

• 2 Medium Golden Delicious Apples
• 2 Medium butternut squash
• 2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
• 1 small purple onion
• 1 can (14 1/2 oz) vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups water
  
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 cup half-n-half or light cream

1. With a large sharp knife peel and slice into chunks the butternut squash.  Chop the onion and peel, core, & chop into medium pieces each apple.

2. In a large pot heat the oil over medium heat; add onion and cook till tender (but not browned)

3. Stir in broth, water, thyme, squash, apples, salt & pepper.  Heat to boiling over high heat.  Reduce heat to low; cover & simmer, stirring frequency, 20 - 25 minutes until squash is tender. (don't worry when you first add the liquid that it isn't enough - the veggies will cook down into it)

4.  Remove from heat and spoon mixture into a blender (you may want to cool slightly before).  Set blender to puree and blend till very smooth.  Repeat with remaining batch.

5. Return puree mixture to saucepan, stir in half-n-half, and heat through over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Be sure not to let soup come to a boil!

When I reheat this soup from frozen I either place in fridge the day before or I put the frozen container in a  pot of cool water for a couple of hours to help thaw.  When reheating its important not to let soup come to a boil or the cream will separate from the soup.  Use a whisk to mix up the soup when heating.

I had to show a picture of how cute all the bread loaves looked.  I meant for them to be smaller but they got a bit bigger than I planned....no complaints from anyone though.
:)