Roasted Winter Squash Soup

On a cold and dreary night, there is no better dinner than soup! This is easy and delicious. Grab your crockpot and you are ready to make a fabulous dinner with very little effort. If you have an immersion blender, this will really help you to get the right texture.

Yield: 6-8 hearty servings Prep time: 45 minutes to prep, 1 hour to cook Difficulty: EASY

Ingredients:

1 whole butternut squash (can also use buttercup or honeynut)

2-3 tbs olive oil

1 large apple, peeled and quartered

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 large shallot, chopped and sauteed in butter until beginning to brown

1 large carton of chicken stock

1 tbs chopped fresh rosemary

1 tbs chopped fresh sage

1 tsp ground black pepper

salt to taste

1/4 cup half and half (can be eliminated to save calories!)

Toppings:

(use any one of these or combine as you like)

• Crispy pancetta or thick cut bacon cooked and crumbled

• Sauteed Crimini mushrooms (cooked until well browned and slightly crispy)

• Asiago cheese

• Dollop of Greek yogurt

• Croutons

Instructions:

1. Cut the squash into large chunks and remove seeds (no need to peel). Put the squash and apple on a rimmed sheet. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Generously coat with olive oil and a splash of water. Roast for 35 min at 350F. Squash should be tender and browned on edges. Let it cool and scoop the squash out of the peel.

2. Saute the shallots in butter until they begin to brown. Add the chopped herbs and stir for a few seconds to coat with butter. They should be very aromatic when you remove the pan from the heat.

3. Take shallot/herb mixture out of frying pan to prevent over cooking.

4. Put the squash, apples and all other ingredients (except half and half) into large pot. Add more water to cover ingredients if there is not enough liquid.

5. Cook on medium/low for an hour (stir every now and then to prevent sticking on the bottom).

6. Use immersion blender to puree soup. Taste to adjust seasoning. If you use a regular blender, make sure the soup in not too hot or the top of the blender can pop off and burn you.

7. Add half and half if desired, and bring back to hot temperature without boiling.