Soup, it's what's for dinner!

So, I've been called the "Soup Nazi" by some who love me and my random made up soup recipes. I must confess, I love soup and could eat it and make up a new recipe every other day. It's souper easy and coupled with a salad and/or some good gf bread, well, it's a little bit of heaven :)

I've been asked to share, and with the crisp air at night and fall right around the corner, I'd be happy to...

Butternut Squash Soup is simmering right now on my stove top:

First, items needed (I buy organic, but use whatever you have):

• One butternut squash (scoop seeds out, clean, toss w/olive oil, bake at 325 for 15, set aside)
  
• One Pink Lady or other yummy apple, cut up, skin on
  
• Olive oil
  
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
  
• 3 or 4 stalks celery, chopped
  
• 1/2 tsp ginger (powdered)
  
• 1/4 tsp sage (powdered)
• 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
  
• 1 Tbsp organic Better Than Bouillon chicken base (I'm gluten free and haven't had issues w/this stock...it DOES NOT SAY IT'S GF, SO IF YOU HAVE CELIAC, USE YOUR FAVORITE CHICKEN OR VEGGIE STOCK!!!)
  
• 6 cups pure water
• Plain yogurt or sour cream (I use goat yogurt b/c I'm dairy free)
• Parmesan or asiago cheese, shredded
  

1. Cut and quarter one butternut squash, scooping out seeds and pulp (clean seeds, dry on paper towel, toss w/olive oil and sea salt in bowl, bake on cookie sheet at 325 for 15 minutes, set aside for later)
   
2. Set oven to 350. Pour or brush however much olive oil you want (I do probably 2 to 3 Tbsp) on the skin side of squash and place pieces skin side up in baking dish with 2 Tbsp water.
3. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes. (I did this all last night and then refrigerated it to use for today...)
4. Okay (I'm so cheffy with my steps, huh?)...in a large stock pot on medium to medium high heat (I LOVE my gas stove!!!) pour 2 to 3 Tbsp olive oil in pan.
5. Put chopped onion, celery, and apple in oil and saute until onions start to brown.
6. Add ginger, sage and rosemary. Stir.
7. Scoop cooked squash out of skin into celery/onion/apple mixture. Put a little water in the baking dish that you used to cook squash to get the yumminess out of the pan and into your soup pot.
   
8. Add bouillon 6 cups water to pot.
9. Let this all simmer on medium to medium low for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
   
10. Scoop soup into your blender or, in my case, my NINJA :) and puree. If all of it doesn't fit into your blender, that's okay! Scoop some, blend, pour into pot, scoop some more out, blend, pour into pot, etc, until it's all smooth.
11. Scoop into bowls, top with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle each of toasted seeds and Parmesan or asiago, or no cheese if you are dairy free like me.
12. Probably makes 6 bowls of soup, but haven't ever paid attention!
13. Enjoy :)