Butternut Squash Soup

This is an excellent fall time recipe that I came up with tonight on a whim. For those of you who are very "measurement" oriented I will try to convert my recipe into measurements for your convenience. I give ranges for some ingredients because of differences in the size of butternut squash.

Ingredients:
- 1 Large Butternut Squash
- 16-24 oz. of Chicken Broth (I used the low sodium variety)
- 1 1/2 c. Milk (I used 1%)
- 1 c. chopped white onion
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
- 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 c. brown sugar
- 2 tsp. nutmeg
- Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
- Sour Cream to garnish

Preheat the oven to 375.

Cut the squash in half, try to keep the halves the same size. Use an ice cream scoop or a large spoon to scoop out the seeds and strings. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the flesh. Pour a small amount of chicken broth in a rectangular baking dish large enough to , like a Pyrex dish, just enough to cover the bottom. Put the squash halves flesh side down in the baking dish and bake at 375 for 30-45 minutes or until the flesh is fork tender.

While the squash is roasting, melt the butter with the olive oil in a pan. When hot add the chopped onion and a dash of salt and pepper. Saute for about five minutes, then add the chopped garlic. Saute another five minutes or until the onions are translucent and the garlic is just starting to turn brown.

When the squash is fork tender, take it out of the oven and let cool. Once cooled scoop the flesh from the skin with the ice cream scoop and place in a large pot. Add the onion, garlic, and enough chicken broth to just cover the squash, about 16-24 oz. Bring to a simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes stirring often. After the mixture simmers for 10 minutes, use an immersion blender (or a hand mixer) to completely blend the mixture.

Once the mixture is thoroughly mixed, stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, and another dash of pepper. Turn the heat down to low and slowly add the milk while stirring. Add additional seasoning to taste and blend with the immersion mixer to get the desired texture.

When ready to serve, spoon into a bowl and add a dollop of sour cream in the center of the bowl.

Enjoy!