Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Servings: 4

1 3-pound butternut squash
½ large onion -- peeled, chopped
3 large carrots -- peeled, chopped
4 large garlic cloves -- whole, peeled
1 granny smith apple -- peeled, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ cup spiced apple cider
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
4 cups low sodium chicken broth, divided
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (a few sprigs)
¼ cup pecans -- minced
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup fat free half-and-half

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Peel, seed, and cube squash and add to a large bowl.  
Add the onions, carrots, garlic, and apple.

Mix olive oil, brown sugar, spiced apple cider, and two cups of the chicken broth.  Pour over chopped vegetable and apple mixture and mix until well coated.

Pour vegetable and apple mixture into a large roasting pan.  Add rosemary and salt. Cover with foil. Roast, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are very soft and slightly caramelized, about 1½-2 hours.

Toast the pecans in the oven or a nonstick skillet for a few minutes. Do not allow them to burn!  Set them a side.
 
Remove foil from roasting pan and allow the vegetables to cool at least 15 minutes. In batches, place roasted vegetables and apple mixture in a food processor or blender, adding enough chicken broth until the puree is smooth.  Note: if using an immersion blender, transfer roasted mixture to stewpot, then blend.

Transfer the puree to a large stewpot and add any remaining chicken stock.  Bring the soup to a boil, under medium heat.  Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir the half and half.

Divide the soup into four bowls and garnish with toasted pecans.

The key to this recipe is the spiced apple cider.  If you only have plain apple cider,  then add additional spices.  Pumkin pie spice is a nice blend that works well.

Enjoy!