Ali's Kitchen: Butternut Squash Soup

On a cold winter night, this creamy butternut squash & tomato soup is the perfect antidote. Tantalizing with flavors, this easy soup can be made with ingredients you have easily available. This healthy soup has notes of orange, allspice and cinnamon that leave you just wanting more. Alongside, a grilled cheese sandwich this easy soup can bring out the child in all of us.

Ingredients:

1 medium size butternut squash, cut in half and deseeded

1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes

1 orange, zested and juiced

1 large shallot, sliced

2 garlic cloves, sliced

2 cup of all natural chicken broth

1/3 cup of evaporated milk

1 tbsp. of light brown sugar

1 tbsp. of unsalted butter

1 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. cinnamon, ground

1/2 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. of kosher salt or to taste

ground black pepper, few twists

yields: 2 quarts

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400. Remove top of cleaned squash, and carefully cut in half lengthwise. Remove seeds.

Place cutside down on a foil lined sheet pan. Place in oven for 35 minutes.

Heat large dutch-oven over medium heat. When warm, add 1 tbsp. of olive oil and 1 tbsp. of butter.

Saute shallot and garlic for a few minutes. Next, add 2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of allspice, 1/4 of nutmeg, 1 tbsp. of light brown sugar, orange zest, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and a few twists of pepper. Stir, and add 1/4 cup of OJ to deglaze.

Add 2 cups of chicken broth and can of whole tomatoes. Crush tomatoes in the dutch oven with spatula.

Bring to a boil then turn down heat to simmer. Keep a lid askew on pot.

When squash is done, let cool till easy to handle. Scrape peel off and add squash to dutch oven in chunks, mashing as you add. Continue simmering for an additional 20 minutes.

Let cool for fifteen minutes.

Ladle soup in batches to a blender and puree. Add a little bit of the evaporated milk to each batch. Make sure to use all the milk. Unite all the batches of the puree, and taste for seasoning.

Serve with Cheese straws and a little shredded cheddar, or oyster crackers.

Note: This soup freezes beautifully.