Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

There is no better way to warm up in this cold weather other than having a healthy yet tasty soup. 

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups roughly chopped onions

6 cups (about 2 pounds) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced into 1-inch pieces

3 cups (about 1 pound) sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch pieces

8 cups (64 ounces) low sodium chicken stock

1½ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tart-yet-sweet apple, cored, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces

3 tablespoons honey

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

 ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup half-and-half or light cream

Directions

1. Melt butter in large pot. Add onions and cook over medium-low heat until soft and translucent.

2. Add butternut squash, sweet potatoes, chicken stock, salt and pepper to pot. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat to medium and cook until vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes. Turn off heat.

4. Add diced apple to pot and puree soup with a handheld immersion blender until very smooth and creamy.

5. Add the honey, cinnamon, nutmeg and half and half and stir. Bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

*For a thinner soup, stir in a bit of water; to thicken, simmer and stir over low heat.

*This soup thickens as it sits. To reheat, add a bit of water to thin it back to desired consistency.