Butternut Squash Soup

Growing up, my family really didn't eat a lot of squash. I'm not sure why, perhaps my mom didn't like it. We did have zucchini, but that's about it. As an adult I have found I have an affinity for the versatility of squash and have been branching out into different ways to prepare all the different varieties.

Last weekend I bought a butternut squash and when the weather took a chilly turn, I made it into a healthy, delicious soup. Most recipes will call for some form of cream to thicken the soup, but honestly, it's not necessary. The squash is quite capable of thickening and creaming on it's own. 

I took this soup to a soup/salad potluck and it was a hit. :) Not only did it taste delicious, but how can you beat the festive autumny-orange color?

Here's my rough guesstimate of how I made it (you should all know by now that I don't follow recipes)

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash, quartered and roasted face-down in oven for 45 min

2 tbsp butter (or olive oil)

1 onion, diced

2-3 tbsp garlic, minced

3 cups chicken stock (give or take)

2 tsp Marjoram

Salt

Pepper

Cayenne Pepper

Directions:

After roasting squash, let cool and peel off skin. 

In large pot, combine butter, onions and garlic and cook on medium heat until onions are translucent.

Add squash and chicken stock.

Using immersion blender, blend until smooth and creamy. (Or you can dump ingredients into a regular blender, but I suggested just investing in an immersion blender if you like creamy soups.)

Add Marjoram, salt, black pepper and red pepper to taste.

Cook until heated, stirring to ensure the bottom doesn't burn.

You may find that you need to add additional stock or water or reduce to get your desired consistency and depending on the size of your squash.

If you wish to add some additional creaminess, you can add 4oz of cream cheese or 1/2 c. half and half.