Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

1 large butternut squash

Butternut squash are easy to grow:
these are ours from last year.

olive oil

herbs

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

5 medium carrots, peeled & sliced

5 stalks of celery, sliced

1carton of vegetable stock

2 c. water

1 can of corn, drained

1 can of cream of celery soup

1 cup of milk

1)    Roast the butternut squash:

Preheat the oven to 350°

Slice the squash in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds (rinse the seeds & toast them if you have extra time). Rub the fleshy part of the squash with a little olive oil and coat it with herbs. (I use a poultry rub that’s mostly garlic, salt, sage, and thyme). Place on a baking sheet fleshy side up for about 40 minutes (depending on how large the squash is). You’ll know it’s done when you can mush it with a fork.

2)    While the squash is roasting, drizzle some olive oil in the bottom of your soup pot—just enough to lightly coat the bottom. Heat the oil at medium heat then add the minced garlic. After about two minutes add the diced onion. Let the garlic and onion “sweat” with the lid on the pot for a few minutes. Once the onion is translucent, add the vegetable stock and water. Then add the carrot and celery. Let that simmer on medium-low heat.

3)    Once the squash is cooked thoroughly, you’ll have to let it cool for a while before you can handle it. Scoop the squash away from the outside with a spoon. Be careful not to get pieces of the skin—they’re not a good texture in soup. Add the squash to the soup base. It’s okay if it’s still chunky, it will break down as you stir.

4)    Add the corn and stir.

5)    Add the cream of celery soup and one can of milk.

6)    Simmer together, stirring. Make sure the heat is not too high once you’ve added the cream soup and milk—both scorch easily.

7)    Serve with hearty bread.