The Soup that Started it All - Roasted Squash Soup with Port

Here it is. The recipe that started it all. The first cookbook that sparked my interest in cooking is none other than Paul Newman's Cookbook "Newman's Own Cookbook." I requested it for Christmas one year and enjoyed reading through its many recipes.

Then one Thanksgiving I decided to make a soup that I had never even had before: Roasted Squash Soup with Port.

It's actually pretty simple and very tasty (and became a regular Thanksgiving request.)

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash (4-5 pounds) halved and seeded
1 Idaho potato (or russet - just a big ole baking potato) peeled and chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
About 6 or 7 medium whole cloves of garlic (skin removed)
6 to 8 cups of chicken stock
1/4 cup ruby port
1/2 teaspoon allspice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespooons unsalted butter

Step 1: Preheat Oven to 450. This will take some time so plan ahead. Brush the cut sides of the squash with olive oil. Put on cookie sheet (I line it with foil for easy clean up). Roast the squash for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool and scoop flesh out of squash into bowl and set aside.

Step 2: Heat 2 TBS of oil in a large stock pot over high heat and put potatoes, onions and garlic in. Cook for about 5 minutes. Pour in 6 cups of chicken stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the cooked squash, port and allspice and lower to a simmer. Simmer the soup for about 40 minutes.

Step 3: Puree the soup - either in batches in you blender or using an immersion blender (see below).

Hooray for the immersion blender!

Over low heat season the soup and add more chicken stock as needed to get the consistency you like. Taste, season, taste, season...do this in small increments until just right. Swirl butter in and stir it in.

I served it to my "Not sure about squash soup" husband with a grilled cheese sandwich. He is still unsure but was impressed and did eat his whole serving.

Perfect fall meal.

The recipe says you can garnish with pumpkin seeds which, I admit, would look great. But I'm not the biggest fan of pumpkin seeds (I feel like I chew them for-ev-er.)

I also discovered that butternut squash is a great treat for dogs! Healthy and simple. Since Fenway turns her nose up at carrots (but really, can you blame her?) I wasn't sure if she would like it. I gave her a little bit of roasted squash, being careful that it was not hot and didn't have olive oil on it. She actually gobbled it up! Making some squash treats for her soon and will likely blog it.