roasted butternut squash soup

we made this soup the other night (adapted from bread and honey's butternut squash soup recipe)when the temperatures dropped below 40 degrees.  it warmed our house-just ask our friends who stopped by--our house was smokin'!--and our bodies.  serve it with a hearty slice of good bread (we had sourdough pumpkin bread from magnolia bread company) and some butter and  it makes a delicious fall meal. 2 butternut squashes 1 1/2 poblano peppers (this adds smokiness to the soup and cuts the sweet flavor of the squashes) 1 medium sweet white onion 1 whole head of garlic 3 skinny carrots 4 cups of vegetable or chicken stock

Preheat your oven to 375ºf.

Slice squashes lengthwise, so you can scoop out the seeds.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt lightly, and place on a baking sheet in the oven.   Actually, drizzle everything with olive oil and roast it at the same time in the oven.  I wrapped the onions and garlic individually in tinfoil, and left the seeded, halved peppers on a baking sheet, along with the carrots.

Just peek in on everything every once in awhile and make sure nothing's burning.  Pull things out as they get mushy- that's when they are finished.  For me, the peppers  finished first, then the carrots, then the onion, then the butternuts,  and, lastly, the garlic.  Let everything cool so you can handle it easily and heat up your stock in a large pot while you wait.

Blend the ingredients in a food processor or blender until it reachers your desired consistency.  (Don't forget to peel your butternut squash and garlic- the rest of the ingredients can get thrown in whole.)  Dump it all in the big pot with the broth and stir it up really well.  Serves 4.  YUM!

the whole process actually reminded me of making homemade baby food.  not that i have ever done that, but i plan to one day and this recipe confirms that it is easy (albeit messy) and enjoyable!  it makes me excited to  think about my babies eating fresh, seasonal, farmer's market mush!