Recipes From the Porch: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Have I mentioned that I love the fall? It's my favorite time of the year, and, not just because I was born in the fall, although, that's not a bad reason, really. It's certainly not because the autumn season heralds the return of the Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte, because, between you and me? That stuff sucks. It just does.

You know what doesn't suck? Butternut squash. In fact, butternut squash is definitely one of my most favorite things about the fall, along with the changing leaves, the smell of fires burning on crisp October evenings, and the tradition of watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade while a Butterball roasts away to perfection inside my oven.

One of my favorite ways to eat butternut squash is in this soup. It is hearty, comforting, and, above all, easy as hell to make. Plus, it freezes well, so, making a ginormous batch is usually the way to go.

For the soup, you will need:

1 large butternut squash
2 large carrots
2-3 small sweet potatoes
1 medium onion
2 32 oz cartons vegetable broth
1/2/ tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. curry powder
salt and pepper, to taste
2-3 tbsp. olive oil  (not pictured. Oh, wait, hold that thought...)

(there ya go)

Instructions:

Cut squash in half, lengthwise and remove seeds. Drizzle with about 1 tbsp. olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in a 350 degree oven for one hour. Remove from oven and let cool.

Meanwhile, on the stove top, heat remaining 2 tbsp. olive oil. Brown onion until translucent.

Dice sweet potato and carrot and add to onion, cooking until slightly until softened.

Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer.

While soup simmers, peel the skin from the roasted squash and chop into chunks.

Add squash to soup. Add spices and continue to simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are softened and breaking apart.

 If you have an immersible blender, now is the time to bust it out. If you don't, then allow soup to cool, transfer into a blender in small batches, processing until smooth and cursing yourself for not having an immersible blender. Probably burn the shit out of yourself. Curse some more. Give up and go get yourself an immersible blender (trust me, you'll be glad you did).

Submerge blender into pot, blend soup until smooth.

Enjoy immediately, or, as I said before, allow to cool and freeze in single serving portions to enjoy anytime you need a reminder of the amazing taste of autumn.