Let the Gardens Begin

Yesterday was Memorial Day and as we all celebrated with picnics and barbeques, I want to thank all those who gave their life for my freedom. I thank the men and women who served this great country.

With the passing of Memorial Day, summer is now on its way. IT'S ABOUT TIME!!! Now, let the gardens begin.

My husband and I are huge garden fans and love to live all summer from our bounty. One of my favorites to make from the garden is roasted butternut squash soup since we grow our own garlic, onions, and butternut squash. This soup goes great with the bread recipe I shared a few blog posts ago.

I love to cook and try new recipes and make cooking a part of my entertainment. A few weeks ago, I brought a basket of the ingredients for this soup, along with a bottle of wine over to my friend's house. With her special needs daughter, it's not always easy for her to get out. So, I brought the party to her beautiful, large kitchen. We sipped wine, laughed, and have a great time as I prepared this simple recipe.

Ingredients Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

• 3 1/2 pounds butternut squash

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil

• 1 small yellow onion halved

• 1 garlic clove peeled

• 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• cracked black pepper to taste

• 2 tablespoon butter optional

Garnish

• pepitas pumpkin seeds

• parsley

• cracked black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the ends off the butternut squash. With a flat surface on the bulb end, stand the butternut squash on end and carefully slice it in half lengthwise.

• Use a spoon to remove the seeds and membrane.

• Transfer the butternut squash to a baking tray cut side up, coat with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then flip the butternut squash over so the cut side is down and roast for 60 minutes.

• At the 30 minute point, coat the cut half of the onion with avocado oil and place it cut side down on the baking tray. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes, then remove from the oven.

• Once the butternut squash is cool enough to handle, use a large spoon to scoop out the flesh and transfer to a blender. Remove the outer layer of the onion and add it to the blender along with the garlic, maple syrup, salt, nutmeg, ginger, butter, and vegetable broth. Start with 3 cups of vegetable broth and add more to achieve your desired consistency. Blend on high for several minutes or until creamy. If using a Vitamix, you can use the soup setting to achieve a creamy and hot soup. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if needed.

• Pour the soup into bowls and garnish with pepitas, parsley, and cracked black pepper.

I love to cook and try new recipes and make cooking a part of my entertainment. A few weeks ago, I brought a basket of the ingredients for this soup, along with a bottle of wine over to my friend's house. With her special needs daughter, it's not always easy for her to get out. So, I brought the party to her beautiful, large kitchen. We sipped wine, laughed, and had a great time as I prepared this simple recipe.