Butternut Squash Soup Or Bisque (Roasting Method) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 small butternut squash, peeled, diced (about 5 C.)
1 medium onion, large dice (1 cup)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 apple, skinned, large dice (1 cup)
48 ounces chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
2 tablespoons parsley, fresh, chopped
1 tablespoon thyme, fresh, chopped
crouton (optional)
sour cream (optional)

Preparation

ROASTING: preheat oven to 450. Peel and dice squash into 1/2 inch pieces (see tip at end). Dice onion into 1/2 inch pieces. Toss squash and onion with olive oil and spread pieces onto a large flat baking pan. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes - add diced apple - and continue roasting another 10-20 minutes (30-40 total roasting time).
Tip: while you are roasting, make some \"cheese toasts\". Put some shredded cheese on top of bread rounds (we like gruyere or parmesan). Bake 10-15 minutes until crispy. These cheese toasts are fantastic soup toppers!
Place roasted mixture into blender with about half the chicken broth; puree (keep hand on lid because hot liquids can cause the top to \"explode\" off with built up steam). Add remaining chicken broth, half-and-half, and herbs; puree.
Transfer mixture to saucepan; reheat gently.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream and croutons.
TIP: to prepare squash, first cut squash in half horizontally. Place flat end onto cutting board to stabilize squash and use a peeler to remove skin. Remove seeds. Then cut into lengths, and then into diced pieces.
NOTE: if you have leftover mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving, add about 1/2 cup, which will thicken the soup and add a nice smoothness.