Gingered Butternut Squash Soup

So, tonight I decided to cook up a butternut squash from our garden this past summer.

It came out so good, I thought I would share it with all of you.

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash peeled and seeded

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 cup chopped leeks (white and green parts)

1 tablespoon ginger, peeled

5 cups chicken stock

2 teaspoons nutmeg

Directions:

1. Cut butternut squash into about 1 inch even sized cubes.
2. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  When hot add olive oil and once oil is hot add in onions and leeks.
3. Add in squash, ginger and chicken stock and bring to a simmer, cooking until the squash is tender (about 15 minutes or so).
4. Pour off most of the stock and reserve.
5. Carefully add squash, onions, ginger, and leek mixture to blender or food processor and puree (using caution as the heat of the ingredients will very often cause the blender top to want to pop off and make a mess all over your kitchen).
6. Once pureed, add contents back to pot, and add in the chicken stock until the desired consistency is attained.
7. Stir well and add in nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste.

Hint- This soup freezes exceptionally well.  Just make sure to refrigerate it for a day first to allow it to fully cool before freezing.

Variations:  Add in coconut milk, or add in some granny smith apples to the mixture and cook those with the squash, pureeing into the mix.  Or mix in some curry for some zip.

(Recipe from "Paleo Comfort Foods" by Julie & Charles Mayfield)