Butternut Squash Soup

Tasty soup which makes a great appetizer.   Add some bread with cheese and call it a meal.   This one is from Charla Eccles.

1 Butternut Squash (3 pds.) unpeeled, seeds removed, cut into 4 large pieces

2T butter

1C chopped Yellow Onion

1 Clove Garlic, minced

5C Chicken stock or broth

3/4t Salt

1/2t Curry powder

1/8t ground White Pepper

Crème Fraiche, sour cream or nonfat yogurt for topping

Chopped Chives for topping

Preheat oven to 400. Place squash pieces in flat baking pan. Pour about 1 cup water around squash. Bake until soft, about 1 hour. Remove to plate and cool. When cool enough to handle, scoop out the squash pulp. You should have about 4 cups. Set aside.

In a large soup pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add squash pulp and 1 cup of the stock and mix well. Transfer to a food processor or blender in batches and process until smooth. Return to pan and add the remaining 4 cups stock and seasonings. Simmer, uncovered, until flavors are blended, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle into bowls and top with crème and chives.