Butternut Squash Bisque

This one is just for me.  I love butternut squash, but The Picky Apple doesn’t care for it and as for The Littlest Apple…well, you know he won’t touch this.  This soup is a little bit labor intensive, but makes plenty and freezes well.  I love that it’s just a hint spicy from the chipotles.  When you make this soup, you MUST top it with bacon crumbles.  It makes the soup!

Butternut Squash Bisque

from Better Homes and Gardens, October 2009

Ingredients:

• 1 2-3 pound butternut squash
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large Braeburn or Gala apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 1 48 oz. box reduced-sodium chicken broth (I used homemade stock)
• 1 cup apple cider or apple juice
• 2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 oz. smoked Gouda or smoked cheddar cheese, finely shredded
• Crumbled cooked bacon, celery leaves, and/or shaved Gouda cheese (optional)

Peel, seed, and cube butternut squash.  In 6-qt. Dutch oven melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add fresh squash, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic.  Cook, stirring frequently, 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Add apples, broth, cider, and chipotle peppers.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Cover; simmer 25 minutes or until vegetables and apples are tender.  Remove from heat; cool slightly.

When slightly cooled, puree in pot using an immersion blender.  (Or puree in batches in a blender; return soup to saucepan.)  Blend in sour cream.  Heat through.  Remove from heat; stir in shredded Gouda until melted.  Top with bacon, celery leaves, and/or Gouda cheese.