Two Chubby Girls: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

If you know me, you know that I can't stand not to modify a recipe and make it my own. It's a little bit conceited but I just know I can make it better. And nine times out of 10 it is better. It's hard being so amazing all the time.

Winter is for hearty veggies that hide sweetness and flavor behind their tough exteriors. Squash is one of my favorite vegetables because of the sweet and nutty taste. My counter has been accumulating butternut squashes (I'm not sure how that happened since I haven't been buying them) but I think the culprit is my father. Regardless, I had three of them sitting in the counter and I'm was trying to figure out what to do with them. I've never made butternut squash soup but I thought I would try it out. And lucky for you I did.

Amazing. Rich. Sweet. Creamy. Good for you. Say what?

These are just a few of the words James used to describe it with a little "honey, you're amazing" thrown in there too. Hold your applause until the end of the post please. It's true, I calculated the recipe on Spark People's site and I was astonished. The carbs, calories and fat were low but it was really high in vitamins. Yay!

I scoured the web for recipes but couldn't find one that I liked. Some boiled the squash instead of roasting it, most added potatoes. I don't mind potatoes in soup but I didn't want to worry about the carbs today because I knew the squash would have enough. Plus sometimes potatoes can make soup grainy, which I hate. Enough talking, here's the recipe with the nutritional information:

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

By: Brenda Fisher

Makes 6-8 servings

2 butternut squash, split in half and seeded

1 medium onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup water

4 oz. cream cheese (half a block)

2 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. dried thyme (or more depending on taste)

2 tsp. dried sage
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

kosher salt and pepper to taste

Place the squash on the baking sheet, cut side up. Season with kosher salt, pepper and a little dried thyme. Roast in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until soft. Allow the squash to cool before scooping out the pulp (you should have about 3 cups).

In a pan, add the olive oil, carrot and onion and saute until soft but not brown. Season the vegetables with salt, pepper and remaining thyme while they cook. Add the stock, squash, sage, nutmeg, and butter and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and use an immersion blender (or transfer to a food processor or blender) and blend the soup until its smooth. Return to the pot and add the cream cheese and Parmesan cheese and allow them to melt but do not boil. Add the water once the cheese is melted to thin it out. Adjust the season as needed.