We spent Thanksgiving away from home (in Utah, for my sister’s wedding) and I didn’t cook a thing. Not even rolls or cranberry sauce or anything . My kitchen endeavors for the entire week included scrambling eggs and steaming frozen peas. I cooked for Clara and that was it. But we still ate very well. We dined with friends and family and at our favorite spots we’ve missed since our college years in those mountains (I say that as if was so long ago and we aren’t still students, technically. We left Utah five years ago and my husband will graduate this June for the last time. ever. hopefully.)

My aunt made the most impressive Thanksgiving dinner: We had turkey and stuffing and salad and potatoes and green beans. Rolls and tart cranberries. Pumpkin and apple pie and whipped cream. So I clearly wasn’t needed. And I enjoyed being cooked for all week. (Which never occurs in this house. I tried to think of the last time Dustin cooked for me. I can’t remember it ever happening.)

There are so many variations on butternut squash soup. Many of them are delicious. But if you only want one- this would be it. It’s completely simple and yet sophisticated enough that it could be dressed up with whatever flavors you’re in the mood for. The base recipes consists of roasted butternut (roasted whole for ease), onion, garlic, apple, and sage. I added a pinch of nutmeg and couple teaspoons of maple syrup to bring out the sweetness of the squash. You could throw in more vegetables (celery, carrots), replace the apple with a pear, or amp up the spices as you please (I’m thinking allspice, cumin, curry, cinnamon, or cayenne all sound amazing). It can easily be made vegetarian (choose vegetable broth) or vegan/dairy-free (replace the cream with coconut milk and the butter with coconut oil).

I actually made this soup before we left on our trip. We ate it several days in a row and then I thawed the remainder (it makes a big potful), which we devoured shortly after coming home. I had been looking forward to those leftovers and they were just as delicious as the first few times. Oh, and I recommend serving it alongside some crusty bread or grilled cheese. We made these sage-Gruyere croutons (with a mixture of cheddar, fontina, and Gruyere) and it was heavenly.

p.s. If you haven’t yet noticed- the new Recipe Index is up and running! Every recipe includes a thumbnail photo and it’s much more user-friendly. Note that because I have so many (over 600!) recipes, each is only included once, under its most applicable category (determined by me). So for example, Barbecue Chicken Pizza does contain chicken, but can be found under Pizza. And you can still view the full list version here.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

INGREDIENTS

4 lbs butternut squash (about 2 medium), halved lengthwise and seeds removed
2 Tbsp. butter (or coconut oil)
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 1/2 cups water
~1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup heavy cream or half and half (or coconut milk)
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. pure maple syrup (optional, but recommended)

DIRECTIONS

1. To roast the squash, preheat oven to 425. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. Place the squash cut-side-down on the prepared baking sheet and roast in preheated oven until knife-tender, 45-60 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Once cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh from the squash and discard the skins.

2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the apple, garlic, onion, and sage and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the squash, broth, water, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the heavy cream, nutmeg, and maple syrup (if using).

3. Using a blender, immersion blender, or food processor, puree in small batches until smooth. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve.

Serves 6-8.

(Adapted from CHOW)