{roasted butternut squash and garlic soup}

{roasted butternut squash and garlic soup}

ingredients

2 medium butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

1 head of garlic, cut in half crosswise

olive oil

6-8 cups chicken stock

3 Tablespoons brown sugar or maple syrup

3-4 leaves fresh sage {or to taste}

salt and pepper to taste {white pepper can be used in place of black pepper}

1/2-3/4 cup heavy cream

preheat oven to 350 degrees

brush squash with olive oil and place cut side down on baking sheet. place garlic on foil, drizzle with olive oil and seal up the foil. tuck garlic next to the squash and roast in the oven for 45 minutes - an hour, or until squash and garlic and tender. let cool.

scoop out squash into a large soup pot, and squeeze garlic cloves out of their skins. add chicken stock and sage and bring to a boil. reduce heat and add brown sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. remove from heat and using an immersion blender {one of my favorite kitchen appliances}, puree the soup. this can also be done in small batches in a blender, and returned to the pot. place pureed soup back on the stove top and over med-low heat add heavy cream. taste soup to adjust seasonings, and serve.

this freezes and re-heats beautifully. i will often add a bit more stock or cream when re-heating as this soup does tend to thicken when cooled.