Sweet and Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Split the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and membrane. Place the squash, cut sides down, on a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes or until the flesh is tender.

Meanwhile, heat a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium heat. Finely chop the apple, onion, celery, and carrot.

Melt the butter in the pot and saute the apple and veggies until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the spices to the apple and veggie mixture. Continue to saute it for one to two minutes. Be careful, the spices should become fragrant, but you don’t want to burn them.

Cool the baked butternut squash halves until they are easier to handle. Scoop the flesh away from the skin and into the pot.

Add about 3/4 of the broth to the pot. Turn the heat to medium low and allow the soup to simmer for 20-30 minutes. The veggies should continue to soften.

Remove the pot from the heat. Use an immersion (stick) blender to blend the soup to your desired consistency. (Or you could use a blender. Just be sure to work in small batches.) Add additional broth if the soup is too thick. Stir in the milk.

Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with a dollop of cool sour cream and a dash of fresh nutmeg.