Mabon will soon be upon us with the nights getting longer and colder. The fall harvest draws near. One of my favorite foods during this time of year is butternut squash. I remember when I was a young girl I used to love the sweet aroma that wafted through the house whenever my mother made butternut squash. I always added extra sugar to mine because I liked to sweeten things up. Now I am making those memories with my young son.

One of our favorite butternut squash recipes is butternut squash soup. This is a soup you can prepare early in the day and allow to cook in the crock pot on low heat. How I do love simplicity.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Blessed be.

Teigan Draig - The Witch's Pyramid

  Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash
• 1/2 stick of butter (can use more or less if you like)
• 1 onion
• 2 -3 cloves garlic, minced (can use less if you prefer less garlic)
• 2 C vegetable broth
• 1 C applesauce
• 1 C water
• 1 C heavy cream
• Fresh rosemary
• Salt and pepper to taste

Roast your squash. Preheat your oven to 375, and cut the squash longways down the middle. Scoop out the seeds and strings, so that all that’s left is the meat. Place the butter in the hollow left by the scooped out seeds. Place the two halves, cut side up, in a baking dish and bake for about 45 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, start preparing the rest of the soup.
Dice onion into small pieces  or mince and add to a crock pot set on the lowest setting along with the garlic, vegetable broth, applesauce and heavy cream. Cover with the lid and allow to simmer.

When the squash is finished, remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. The squash should be tender enough that you can scoop out the meat and add it to a blender. Puree the squash until it is smooth and creamy. Add pureed squash to the rest of your soup in the crock pot and stir well to blend. Allow to simmer an additional 2-4 hours. About a half hour before you plan to serve the soup, add some chopped fresh rosemary and stir it in well. You can also add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and fresh parley or chopped green onions. Serve with a slice of artisan bread (or any bread you like). This soup also pairs great with the Mabon Apple Cake recipe found here.