Butternut Squash Soup with Pumpkin Butter

By Cindy

David's Tips:
Whether it's a tailgating party or a staggered family dinner, this creamy soup is great for pleasing a crowd. The Technique® slow cooker is the perfect vessel for keeping it warm for hours. The recipe below yields 1 quart of finished soup; triple it to fill the slow cooker. For a lighter version, omit the pumpkin butter and use milk in place of the half-and-half.

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil spray
• 1 2-lb butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 2 cups homemade chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• Pinch of grated nutmeg
• 1 cup milk or half-and-half
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 (10-oz) jar pumpkin butter (optional garnish)
• Chopped pistachio nuts (optional garnish)

Details

Adapted from qvc.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray 9'' x 13'' baking dish with the vegetable oil spray.
Place the squash halves, cut-side down, in the prepared dish. Pierce the skin sides several times with a fork. Bake until the squash is tender, about 45 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
Using a large spoon, scrape the flesh from the cooked squash into a food processor. Discard the skins. Add 1-1/2 cups of the chicken broth, the cinnamon, marjoram, thyme, and nutmeg and purée until smooth. Transfer the purée to a large saucepan. Whisk the milk into the soup over medium heat. If you prefer a thinner consistency, add the remaining broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Top with a dollop of pumpkin butter and sprinkle with chopped pistachios nuts, if desired, before serving.