TODAY Food Club

Pretty sure this is the ultimate soup for the first few weeks of fall! Even though it's still 90 degrees here in Florida and the leaves on the palm trees are not turning shades of orange and red, I use my imagination. A big pot of this Butternut Squash Soup is on the stove and I have the Cranberry Bread Croutons toasting in the oven. I feel like fall gets a bad wrap fro not having colorful food. but I mean are you guys looking at this beautiful bright orange color? I packed in some butternut squash, onions, carrots, celery and green apple. It looks pretty colorful to me!

Butternut Squash Soup with Cranberry Bread Croutons

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 medium sized butternut squash, peeled and chopped
• 1 tart green apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• Salt and peper to taste
• For garnish: heavy whipping cream
• Your favorite cranberry bread
• Olive oil
• 1 garlic clove

Preparation

1. Heat a heavy pot on medium-high heat. Melt the butter in the pot. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté for 5 minutes.
2. Add the butternut squash, apple, stock and thyme. Bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or so, until the squash and carrots have softened.
3. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup, or purée the soup in a standing blender.
4. To make croutons: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice cranberry bread into cubes. Place on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Mince the garlic clove and sprinkle over bread. Season with salt and pepper. Bake about 10 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Add salt and pepper to soup to taste. Garnish with heavy whipping cream and cranberry bread croutons.

Recipe Tags

• Comfort Food
• American
• Soup