Hearty And Quick Butternut Squash Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash, cut in half, seeded, brushed with butter, and roasted until tender
1 (32 ounce) box chicken broth
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup butter
fresh thyme
half-and-half, as needed
water, as needed
1 cup cooked quinoa (optional)
garnishes
thyme, stems with leaves

Preparation

Roasted Butternut Squash:.
Cut in half length-wish and scoop out seeds. Brush with butter or olive oil. Microwave for about 15 minutes, checking occasionally. When tender, place in a 350 degree oven for another 10-15 minutes to improve color and flavor. Cool.
Soup:.
Heat chicken broth in a large sauce pan. While it is heating, peel the rind off of the cooked butternut squash and discard. Add the squash to the broth and continue heating. Add the garlic, onion salt, pepper, and butter. Blend with a hand blender until smooth. If it gets too thick add water to desired consistency. Add thyme leaves. To stretch the recipe, add half and half. Ladle into bowls and a lay a thyme stem on top.
Quinoa:.
Cook according to package directions using chicken broth instead of water and adding a tablespoon of butter or olive oil. Serve on the side or add to the soup at the table.