Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash soup is perfect for a chilly fall day. When I originally served this meal, I did so in my everyday yellow dishes. I did not take a picture that day because it looked terrible (they were the same color). So this picture is from the day I had the leftovers for lunch.
For the finished product, I combined a couple of recipes. The main recipe came from my sister-in-law, Tonja. I did not follow Tonja's recipe exactly because it said to cut the squash into 1 inch pieces and then boil it. I did not have the time or energy to cut the tough hull, so I roasted it. The cumin gives this soup a very nice flavor. Here is the recipe!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

• 1 large butternut squash- 2 lbs.
• olive oil cooking spray
• 1 white onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 Tbs. cumin
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• dash of cayenne pepper
• dash of chili powder
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 can fat free evaporated milk
• 1 Liter fat-free, reduced sodium chicken broth
• Parmesan cheese (just a sprinkle)
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds. Spray all sides of squash with cooking spray. Place cut side down on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes.
3. While squash is roasting, add oil to a large soup pot. Saute onions for 5-6 minutes or until they are clear and golden.
   
4. Add cumin, cayenne, chili powder, pepper, salt, and chicken broth. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Remove squash from oven and scoop out squash meat into soup pot; discard skins.
   
6. Add evaporated milk and simmer for 20-30 minutes until thickened. Stir occasionally.
7. Working in batches, puree soup in a blender until smooth.
8. Serve in soup bowls (but not yellow soup bowls). Sprinkle with fresh parmesan cheese.