Potato & Squash Soup

I'm back on the CSA recipe task- I'm sorry there was a long hiatus; I hope everyone made it through!  With the official end of summer this weekend I was inspired to create a soup recipe with our CSA goodies this week.  Because I have not yet made this exact recipe and do not know the size of the squash & potatoes, you will have to eye ball the measurements and use this recipe as a guideline.  I added carrots and apple to this soup for a tad of sweetness but they are not necessary if you're ready to cook and don't have them lying around. This is not a challenging recipe to make and will likely take about 45 minutes total from start to enjoying. Here we go...


What you'll use from your bag:

• Acorn Squash 
• Kennebec Potatoes 
• Garlic (chopped)
• Onion (chopped)

What else you'll need:

• 1 Apple (recommended but optional)
• 2 Carrots (recommended but optional)
• Veg. Broth (or half broth half Almond Milk)
• olive oil
• Cinnamon
• Cardamom (if you don't have it, you can skip it)
• Salt & Pepper 
  

First, Prepare:
*You are going to use about the same quantity of squash and potato. Don't forget that the inside of the squash yields less than the outside :) And if it's not exact, no big deal.

• Cut the squash in half, remove the seeds, and put it on a baking pan brushed with olive oil *leave the skin on, it's easier to take it off after roasting. 
• Sprinkle the squash lightly with cinnamon, cardamom, salt, & pepper and roast in the oven at 375 until the inside is tender- maybe 20 minutes

Next:

• In a large pot, saute about a 1/4-1/2  cup of chopped onion & 2-3 cloves of garlic for a couple minutes
• Peel & cut the potatoes in halves or fourths so they are 2-3 inches approx & add them to the pot
• Peels & cut the carrots and apple (if using) and add them to the pot as well
• Pour in enough veggie broth to cover everything plus an inch or so
• Bring to a boil & check for potato tenderness after about 10-15 minutes

Then:

• Remove the roasted squash from the oven and scoop out the squash from the skin (careful, it's hot); add it to the pot with everything else- it doesn't need to be pretty b/c you are going to puree it anyway
• Stir everything together and check for tenderness of all the veggies

Finally:

• With an immersion blender, puree everything together until creamy. If you don't have an immersion blender (like I don't) you can use a regular blender. Or, if you like it more chunky you can use a hand masher to mash everything together right in the pot (I've done this with other soups & it's great)
• Taste for flavor and consistency and add more broth and spices if desired

Enjoy

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