Hearty Butternut Squash Soup

Picture From Taste of Home

This is a wonderful soup, creamy without any fat. If you are going to try one new soup this fall I recommend this one. The recipe is from Taste of Home

I omitted the corn and did not add the beans to the soup and it was still very good.



How to Prep the Butternut Squash:
Microwave 2 minutes so it's not so tough. Cut it in half length wise and place the cut side down on the cookie sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until a knife will easily pierce the skin. Scoop the squash out and puree for the soup.

Yields: 12 Servings
Ingredients

• 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large butternut squash (about 5 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch piece
• 4 cups water + 1T. chicken base or Home made chicken stock
• 8 oz frozen or canned corn
• 2 cans (15-1/2 ounces each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 teaspoon salt or omit and add 1tsp. pizza spice mix
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Heavy whipping cream and minced fresh parsley, optional

Directions

• 1. In a fry pan, cook sausage, onion and red pepper over medium heat 9-11 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink and onion is tender, breaking up sausage into crumbles. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Remove with a slotted spoon; discard drippings.
• 2. Blend in the blender the cooked squash along with the chicken stock and water. Blend until smooth, you will have to do this in batches. Put the blended squash into the crock pot.
• 3. Add beans, tomatoes, salt, pepper, sausage mixture, corn; and heat through. If desired, drizzle servings with cream and sprinkle with parsley.
  Freeze option: Freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if necessary. Yield: 12 servings (4-1/2 quarts).

Nutritional Facts: 1-1/2 cups (calculated without cream) equals 327 calories, 13 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 29 mg cholesterol, 937 mg sodium, 44 g carbohydrate, 11 g fiber, 13 g protein.

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