butternut squash and sage soup

The inspiration for this soup was easy. We were freezing after a trip up to a very snowy Tumbleweed Farm.  We came home, whipped up a batch of this amazing soup, watched 4 episodes of Parenthood, and went to bed. We need farm season to start NOW! We are getting pathetic!Tumbleweed is resting underneath a fresh blanket of snow. Isn’t she beautiful?

We swung by the farm to check on a few things. The good news is that our garlic is doing well. There was a growth spurt in the late Fall but now with the freeze we can expect the growth to stop.

Thai Purple garlic making an appearance!

I am getting SO excited for springtime I can hardly stand it! I thought the days on the farm were long, but it turns out the days spent off the farm feel a lot longer. I miss the farm season more than you know. The good news is that our seed catalogs are supposed to arrive any day now. I have been stalking our mailman and have made a complete fool out of myself.  Every time I hear him coming I run out to greet him and ask about the catalogs.  I even gave him some chocolate the other day in the hopes that he could somehow magically make them appear. I think I’m confusing our mailman with Santa.

Anyhowwww, enough about seed catalogs and farming.  Let’s talk about this soup.

This soup is like a best friend-there for you when you need it, soothing to the soul, and with just the right amount of spice to keep you craving more. This is the perfect soup to make if you are dining alone. However, it tastes equally as good enjoyed with a best friend/husband/wife/or dog. Dig in!

Butternut Squash and Sage Soup (serves 4-6)

2 tbs olive oil (divided)

1 very large yellow onion, diced

1 heaping tbs diced fresh sage

4 cups 1/2 inch cubes of butternut squash, peeled and seeded

3 cloves of garlic, minced

4 cups of vegetable stock (or possibly more if it’s too thick)

1/8 tsp paprika

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400. Toss the cubed squash with 1 tbs olive oil, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper. Place on a greased baking sheet and roast in the oven for 15 minutes. Turn the cubes over and roast for another 15 minutes or until the squash has caramelized. Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large soup pot saute the onion and sage in 1 tbs of olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic. Stir. Continue to cook for about 3 more minutes. Add the squash cubes and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes. With an immersion blender puree soup until smooth. Or in batches puree soup in  a food processor or blender. If soup is too thick add more veggie stock or water.

Sprinkle soup with salt, pepper, and serve with croutons and sage leaves. Enjoy!