Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

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Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch slices   – $1.19
2 Acorn or Butternut squash, about 4 lbs. total weight –   $5.07
1 medium Vidalia or Maui onion, sliced thin  –  $1.20
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 2 inch slices  –  $0.83
4 teaspoons brown sugar    – from stock
1/2 stick of sweet butter, sliced into pieces    – from stock
An additional 1 Tablespoon sweet butter for sautéing onions  – from stock
1 Tablespoon olive oil   – from stock
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable stock   – from stock
¼ teaspoon nutmeg – from stock
½ teaspoon ginger  – from stock
½ teaspoon mace  –  $5.47
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper   – from stock
Grand Total Assuming Well-Stocked Pantry: $13.76
Cost per Serving: $1.72

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut squash into halves, scooping out seeds.  Place in large roasting pan, cut side up.

2. Divide butter into equal size pieces, and place one in each squash half along with a teaspoon of brown sugar.  Tuck sliced carrots into spaces between squash halves.  Pour 1 cup of the chicken broth/stock around, not over the squash.  Cover the pan tightly with tin foil and bake for 2 hours until veggies are soft.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium flame.  Sauté the sliced onion, stirring frequently until golden and caramelized, about 30 minutes.  Set aside.

*Note: If you want to skip this step, you can just put the onion in the oven with the carrots and squash.  I prefer to cook the onion separately as it maintains its integrity, enhancing the flavor of the final product.

4. Remove veggies from oven and allow to cool enough to handle.  Carefully scoop out squash pulp, discarding their skins.  Place squash pulp, carrots, diced sweet potato, and onions in a large stockpot.  Add remaining 5 cups of chicken broth along with the accumulated liquid from your roasting pan.  Season with ginger, mace, nutmeg, red pepper, salt and ground black pepper.

5. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat and simmer gently about 15 minutes.

6. Transfer soup (in batches) to a food processor fitted with the metal blade.  Process until smooth, returning each pureed batch to the soup pot.  Gently reheat and correct seasonings.  Garnish individual servings with a small dollop of sour cream and a bit of snipped chives.