Harvest Butternut Squash Soup

This is one of my favorite recipes!

First of all, because I can grow almost all of the ingredients in my garden.

Second...because my kids will eat it too!

Here's what you need:

1 medium sized butternut squash (you can use a bigger one, but you may need to add more vegetable/chicken broth)

3 carrots

1 medium sweet onion

5 cloves garlic

1-2 Tbsp. olive oil

48+ ounces of vegetable/chicken broth

1 Tbsp. Curry Powder

salt to taste

1 loaf whole grain french/sourdough bread

Start by chopping up your garlic and onions.

Saute them in the olive oil in a pot.

Make sure you are using a big enough pot...there are a lot of vegetables. 

While the onions and garlic are cooking, cut up the carrots.

Add the carrots to the pot, sprinkle with salt, and put the lid one.

I turn the heat down and just let everything start to steam.

While the veggies are cooking, start cutting up your butternut squash.

I've found that the best way is to peel it with a vegetable peeler, then start slicing it and cubing it.  The round part does have seeds, like a pumpkin, so you'll have to scoop those out.

Once you are finished, add the squash to the pot.

Mix everything up and sprinkle with a little more salt.

I also add a tablespoon of curry powder.

McCormick Hot Madras is my favorite because it's really strong so you can use less.

Other brands seem to need more than a Tbsp. in recipes to be able to taste it.

I let everything cook for about another 5 minutes.

Then I add the 48 ounces of chicken/vegetable broth and bring it to a boil.

Cover and simmer for 45 minutes - 1 hour.

After it's done simmering, I put it in the blender and blend everything together.

The squash and the carrot together make the perfect "creamy" soup without any cream.

If I used a particularly big squash, or extra carrots, I often need to add more chicken broth so that it doesn't get too thick.

After blending it (it takes several batches in the blender to do it all), put it back in the pot and simmer for another 15 minutes.

There you have it...

The best Butternut Squash Soup Ever!

If you feel like it, add a squirt of cream and sprinkle some toasted pumpkin seeds or pine nuts.  I only did it for the picture LOL.  We don't use cream, but if you like cream, give it a try!

I always serve it with toasted slices of multigrain french bread.

This is the key to getting the kids to love it...dipping :)

There you have it...

Harvest Butternut Squash Soup straight from the garden :)