Butternut Squash Soup

Soups during the winter are a go-to meal for me, especially on busy nights or when I don't want to go to the store.  Throw lone pieces of veggies (that will likely go to waste in your fridge) in a large pot, saute, add beans and chicken broth, then simmer until everything is cooked through.  That's all it takes.  My tip is to keep the ingredients cut up small so that they cook faster, and be CREATIVE.  It is very very hard to mess up a soup.  Another trick is to keep chili seasoning on hand and throw that in to any soup for a Mexican flare.  Add hot sauce for a little kick.  Now for the main event....

Butternut Squash Soup

Recipe from Martha Stewart

 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter (I think you can leave this out and use cooking spray if you want to keep it super healthy)

1 small onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 3/4 pounds small butternut squash, prepared and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

4 cups chicken broth

2 tsp. ground nutmeg 
Chives

Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 cups croutons (directions below)

Preparation

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, carrots, and garlic until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add squash; cook, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in 4 cups chicken broth (enough to just cover the veggies). Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer until squash is tender, 20-30 minutes. 

Puree soup in two batches (a blender or food processor works for this step - an immersion blender is even better since there will be less to clean up). When blending hot foods, allow the heat to escape to prevent splattering. Remove the cap from the hole of the blender's lid, and cover with a dish towel (or paper towels). Serve hot, with pepper, croutons and fresh chives.

Homemade Croutons  

Whenever I have a loaf of bread that is about to go bad, I dice up, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs to make amazing croutons that can be stored in a zip lock.  Use on salads, soups or for snacking.  Be creative with the herbs and spices you use - the recipe below is one of my fav's.

Ingredients

Bread of your choice, chopped into small cubes

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic or onion powder

3-5 tbs of olive oil, enough to drizzle lightly over all of the cubes

Preparation

Preheat over to 400 degrees.   Cut the bread into small cubes and lay in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle the salt, pepper, garlic/onion powder on the bread. Bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until golden brown.  Keep a close eye on the croutons as they burn very quickly.