Soup again? Yes. Never gets old in my opinion, especially during this weather. I was told Franklin, TN hadn’t had a snow “storm” in over five years. Now today, stores, local offices… all closed for the second day in a row due to what’s happening outside. We’re expecting more snow tonight through tomorrow…

What is my go-to during this time? Soup. Chili. Apple Pie (recipe later). This soup is so thick and comforting, I made two batches of it yesterday along with my Cream of Zucchini soup (with cashews instead of heavy cream), saving one of each of the two for the freezer. This takes no time at all and will charm you with its vibrant yellow color and warm your soul with the roasted nutty flavor and thick creamy texture.

You Will Need:

• Butternut Squash (I buy the squash already cut up into cubes to save time, buy that way frozen or fresh – either way is fine)
• Olive Oil
• Salt, Pepper, Ground Sage
• Dried Parsley (optional)
• Cashews (whole or pieces)
• Chicken Broth – Optional; can use water (we ONLY use the Imagine brand’s Free Range Chicken Broth, and you can get it low sodium if you prefer)
• Onion (yellow or sweet)
• Parchment Paper / Aluminum Foil

Put out on a baking sheet over aluminum foil or parchment paper, your butternut squash. Drizzle with olive oil and top with salt and pepper (you can add more later). Stir just a bit.

Bake on 425 for 25 – 40 mins. The time depends on if you got small pieces like I did (start first at 25 mins and work up to 30 if you did), or if you got frozen chunks or cut up pieces yourself.

What you want is for the smell of the squash to envelop your kitchen and for the pieces to be brownish and soft. Mine were small so I cooked for only 25 minutes and did not turn them halfway through. I don’t find that necessary.

I use the Philips Soup Maker for almost all of my soup recipes however, you’re welcome to use your tried and true method. If you use a pot, go ahead and cut about 2/3rds of your onion and soften in the pot with olive oil. Once translucent, add your broth (or water) and 2 small handfuls of cashews. Once the squash pieces are done in the oven add them into the pot. You’ll want just enough broth for the amount of people you’re serving. For reference, I use 3/4s of the box of broth for one container of precut squash and at least a quarter to a third of an onion. This will serve myself and my husband for two days.

Below is what your squash should look like when coming out of the oven:

Let everything soften, add 1 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tbsp of ground sage, more salt and pepper to taste and blend. It will also thicken more overnight because of the cashews. After tasting to see if you want to add any more salt or pepper, you can plate with some dried parsley.

If using the soup maker, add everything and the seasoning into the pot and hit the first button for puree. You’ll see the creamy texture you’re looking for:

I wanted to plate these in something that felt decadent because the soup makes you feel that way but in truth, they would be fine in a paper bowl! I look forward to this soup so much and if you want a REALLY rich flavor, just before serving (and adding the parsley if you’d like), drizzle with a bit more olive oil…

The dishes are Royal Worcester. The silverware is Napoleon Bee. The napkins are from Pier 1.