Butternut Squash Soup

So tonight for dinner I tried a new recipe.

Not new as in, I've been searching for just the right one, recipe. New as in, never made this dish before. Ever.

That can be intimidating. Especially when you're cooking with a vegetable you've never cooked with before, and you're not even sure where to start. Thank goodness for the internet. Butternut Squash can be conquered with the proper know-how.

So I have a confession. I don't follow recipes. Well, I mean, I do . . . to an extent. A recipe to me is more like a launching pad for me to create my own unique recipe. Generally this works out great. There have been a few incidents . . . which we won't mention . . . but those are few and far between.

So saying, I did need to see a recipe today, to at least get an idea of what I was doing. If you're interested, it is here.

Here is the recipe I finally came up with after some tweaks. I made some homemade bread bowls to put it in and when hubby came home for dinner, it was a hit! I will definitely be making this one again. It is just a nice, lovely fall day soup, and it has so much rich flavor! Plus, it's healthy! Great for people on a vegetarian diet.

Butternut Squash Soup

3 pounds of Butternut Squash (about 1 large Squash)

3 cups of Water

1 large Onion

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

1 1/2 cups milk (or cream, if preferred)

Salt and Pepper, to taste

2 tsps of Cumin (to taste)

Olive Oil

Parsley

Thyme

Cut the squash in half and scrape out all the seeds. Cut it into pieces, about 8-10. Lay these on a baking sheet, and sprinkle with olive oil until lightly coated. Bake at 350 degrees  in the oven until the squash is soft when a fork is inserted (approximately 1-1 1/2 hours). 

Meanwhile, chop up the onion and boil it with the garlic in the 3 cups of water. Do this about 20 minutes before the squash is done, so it can get a strong flavor. Add salt and pepper, parsley and thyme, to taste (should be a nice, full, flavorful broth).

When the squash is done, let it cool, and then take the peel off and puree it in a food processor with the onion and garlic water. While pureeing, add the milk. When it reaches the consistency you want, transfer back into the pot and heat, stirring often. Do not boil. Add the cumin. When heated through, take off of heat and serve. 

Top with cream, grated cheddar cheese, or fresh herbs. Serves approx 6.

(***Sorry, I don't have any of my own pictures. This one's just an online photo. Still working on getting a card for our camera. Soon, though. :) ***)