Butternut Squash Soup

 My Mom has been making this butternut squash soup for years and she has no recipe - she just follows her heart. She's one of the best cooks I've ever known. I attempted to recreate her soup and wanted to share the general ingredients with you. It's truly the most delicious soup I have ever made and it made me smile as I tried to "follow my heart" and make this myself. 

Ingredients 

- Medium size butternut squash

- 2.5 cups chicken broth/ stock

- 1 onion

- 2 honeycrisp apples

- 1 cup half and half

- salt and pepper

- garlic powder

- cumin

-cinnamon

First, I roasted the squash by cutting it in half, removing the seeds and then laying it face down on parchment paper. I popped it in the oven on 375 for like an hour

When that was done and a fork went into it easily, I removed the skin and cubed it. I cut up an onion and sliced apples (leaving the skin on) and then I drizzled olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder on it and I roasted it all until everything was really soft and brown - maybe 45 minutes?

Then I blended it really well on high in my ninja. I added the chicken broth and mixed it on low. 

I threw the mixture in a pot on low and then stirred in the half and half. You can make it as thick or thin as you prefer by adding chicken broth/ half and half to thin it more. 

I then cooked it on low for about 20 + minutes and stirred occasionally (Don't let it boil) and then I just added salt and pepper, garlic powder, a tiny bit of cumin, and a tiny bit of cinnamon - all to taste.  Just  throw in some spice and keep tasting until you love it. You will be amazed by the flavor.