Butternut Squash Soup

First time cooking with butternut squash, and it was pretty easy.

• 1 butternut squash
• 0-4 carrots, chopped
• 3 cl garlic
• sliced/grated/chopped ginger
• 1 pasta sauce jar chicken stock (or favorite stock)
• 1/2 t cayenne
• 1 t cumin
• 1/2 t oregano
• ground pepper
• salt
• optional: 1/2 block of cream cheese

1. Optional, but recommended: Pre-roast the squash. Either bake whole at 375 for 1 hour or cut in half and bake cut side down for 30-45 min. Take out and cool slightly before spooning out squash. OTHERWISE, peel and chop squash.
2. Heat oil in pan. Add garlic and ginger, stirring for 30 seconds. Add spices: cayenne, cumin, oregano. Add carrots and stir for a minute.
3. [If squash is uncooked, add it in here. Otherwise wait til after carrots are softer.]
4. Pour in chicken stock and bring to simmer. Cover until carrots are soft.
5. [If squash was roasted in oven, add it in now.] Cook until squash is heated through and soft. Add additional water/stock if needed
6. Season with pepper and salt.
7. Turn off heat. Let cool slightly. Add cream cheese.
8. Blend in batches. Transfer to serving bowl.
9. Serve with sliced sourdough bread.

Variations

10/19/14: 1 squash, cut in half, baked 35 minutes. Scooped from one half, peeled other half and cut. Plus 2 carrots and 1 sweet potato. Ginger, garlic, garam masala, cumin, hot curry powder. Added 4 c stock and last 5 minutes 1 can coconut milk.