RECIPE: Creamy Squash and Apple Soup

From Cooking Light, November 2004

Yield: 8, 1-cup portions

Ingredients:

5 ¾ cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 small (1-inch) cubed, peeled butternut squash (about 1 ½ pounds)

1 large peeled sweet potato, cut into 1-inch pieces

4 tsp. butter, divided

2 cups vertically sliced onion

1 ½ cups sliced peeled Granny Smith apple

1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

¼ tsp. black pepper

Procedure:

1. Combine chicken broth, butternut squash, and sweet potatoes in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until squash and potato are tender. Remove squash and potato from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving broth. Mash squash mixture to desired consistency.

2. While squash and potato cook, melt 1 teaspoon butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and apple; cook 20 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Remove onion mixture from pan; set aside.

3. Increase heat to medium-high. Melt remaining 3 tsp. butter in pan. Add flour; cook for 5 minutes or until golden brown, stirring constantly with a whisk. Gradually add 1 cup reserved broth and cook for 3 minutes until slightly thickened.

4. Add the thickened broth mixture, mashed squash mixture, onion mixture, salt and pepper to remaining broth in Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

NOTES: This is really easy and flavorful as is. One adjustment I’ve made and liked is to chop the onion (rather than slicing it), which makes it less intrusive in the texture of the soup.

Submitted by Lisa Bretherick