By Julie Ann White

Happy fall to everyone — my favorite time of the year! This soup has many variations, all of which are delicious. You can peel and cut the squash yourself, but I prefer to buy my squash already prepared. You can find squash that is already peeled and cut, usually in a 10- to 16-ounce package, at Trader Joe’s, Vons and most grocery stores.

Butternut squash soup

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes

3 tablespoons good olive oil

1 medium Granny Smith apple, chopped

1 cup yellow onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

32 oz. chicken broth or stock (I prefer organic stock)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 cup heavy cream or milk

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add cut squash and stir until golden brown. Add the remaining ingredients except the cream. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and puree the soup with an immersion blender, or transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Be careful — the soup will be very hot. Return to large pot and add the cream and a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like things spicy. Serve in bowls with a dollop of plain yogurt and roasted pumpkin seeds if you like. I found roasted, sprouted pumpkin seeds at Costco that are delicious. Enjoy on one of these cool evenings.