Butternut Squash Soup

I have never had this soup before, but I had seen it, and it looks amazing. It is so common this time of year, yet so hard to find at restaurants, so I decided to make it myself.

Peeling the squash can be the hardest part. I used my best paring knife and carefully trimmed the rough rind off. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, but there are different methods across the internet if you Google it, you will find many, many options. Some may suit your fancy better. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon.

***You can make this vegetarian by substituting the Chicken Stock for Vegetable Stock.

Prep Time: 1 hour Total Servings: 10

2 tablespoons butter $.25
1 small onion, chopped $.75
1 stalk celery, chopped $1.50
1 medium carrot, chopped $.50
2 medium potatoes, cubed $1.75
1 medium butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed $2.00
1 (32 fluid ounce) container chicken stock $2.00
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste $.25

Total cost: $9.00 Cost per serving: $.90

Melt the butter in a large pot, and cook the onion, celery, carrot, potatoes, and squash 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Pour in enough of the chicken stock to cover vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 40 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.
Transfer the soup to a blender, and blend until smooth. Return to pot, and mix in any remaining stock to attain desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

You can freeze the leftover soup for lunches and dinners in the future.