Hi there! Its that time of year and its already stated snowing in some parts of the country. This is def a #NtUrAvgJoe style recipe. It takes the best of fresh and already prepared ingredients to make an amazing dish. Everything doesn't have to be homemade in order for it to be the BEST.
Here's what your going to need:
INGREDIENTS
1 Bag of Frozen Butternut Squash
1 Can of Pumpkin Puree (Use Organic if you can afford it. It will give the soup a better flavor than a generic brand)
3-4 Sweet Apples (Such as Golden Delicious or Fuji) *Peel, core, and dice the apples. If you are unsure how to do this then I would recommend going onto YouTube to learn how*
1 Medium Yellow Onion *Diced
2 Cups of Water
2 Cups of Spiced Apple Cider or Apple Juice
2 Vegetable or Chicken Bouillon Cubes (Use the Vegetable if you want to keep this recipe Vegan. This ingredient particularly is a STAPLE in my kitchen. Its a must have :-)
2-3 Tbsp of Olive Oil or Butter (Again use the olive oil if you want to keep it Vegan)
Salt, Pepper, Curry, Turmeric, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, or Cayenne Pepper (I specifically didn't put an exact measurement because each persons taste buds are different. Experiment based on what your pallet enjoys.)
DIRECTIONS
With the exception of the seasonings, add all of the ingredients into a large pot and boil over medium heat for 25-30 min or until apples are softened. Once this is done, turn heat off. Then spoon half of the mixture (including the liquid) into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth (it should look like baby food! LOL). Then add remaining mixture into the blender or food processor and blend. Once soup is smooth, pour the entire mixture back into the pot and turn heat to low. Let the soup simmer and come back to temperature. At this point you can add your seasonings. If you are looking for bring out the sweetness in the soup, I would recommend using a 1/2-1 Tbsp of cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. If you want a more natural, robust earthy flavor then add the same amount of curry, turmeric, and nutmeg along with salt and pepper. You can also add cayenne pepper to kick it up a notch. The key is use a little bit of all these seasonings at one time so that you can build the flavor because once its added then you cant take it back. After this, get a big bowl and spoon some of the soup in it and ENJOY!!! I think its good enough to serve for a dinner party or just to enjoy for yourself while you sit in front of a large fire place, curled up with a nice book or watching a good movie!