Roasted Acorn Squash Soup

You can use any kind of squash in this soup but sweet acorn squash is what we used. The amount of broth may vary depending on how big the squashes are that you use. You can also add a bit of sweetener if desired, 1-2 teaspoons of maple syrup or honey if you like it sweeter or if the squash turns out to be not very sweet. If the squash is very sweet you can add a couple drops of cider vinegar to the soup to balance the flavor. You can add a few tablespoons of cream but this optional.

1 tablespoon butter or vegan butter
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
About 3 lbs acorn squashes, roasted*
2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
3-4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Salt and pepper
Optional but delicious toppings:
Cooked, chopped bacon
Crumbled goat cheese

1. Melt the butter over medium heat in a soup pot. Add the onion, celery, and bay leaf and saute until veggies are softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the thyme and broth.
2. While veggies and broth are simmering, scoop the squash out of the shells. Add to the broth. Stir and mix the squash into the broth. Bring to a simmer again and cook for another 20 minutes.
3. Remove the bay leaf and thyme stalks and blend with a stick blender until smooth. Taste and add salt and pepper. Blend again.

*To roast squash, cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and pulp, and place the squash face down on a rimmed baking sheet or 9 x 13 pan. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Heat oven to 400°F and roast the squash until soft when pierced with a sharp knife, about 45 minutes. Let cool before scooping out of shells.