Ingredients
2 medium butternut squash (about 3 pounds each)1 tablespoon butter1 tablespoon olive oil2 large onions, sliced2 tablespoons brown sugar1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot2 garlic cloves, minced2 cinnamon sticks (3 inches)1-1/4 teaspoons salt3 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth1-3/4 cups waterMinced fresh parsley
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°. Halve squash; discard seeds. Place squash in a 15x10x1-in. pan coated with cooking spray, cut side down. Bake until tender, 40-50 minutes. Cool slightly; scoop out pulp.
In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat butter and oil over medium heat; saute onions until tender, about 5 minutes. Add brown sugar, ginger, garlic and cinnamon sticks; cook and stir 2 minutes. Stir in salt, squash, broth and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 10 minutes.
Discard cinnamon. Puree soup using an immersion blender. Or, cool slightly and puree soup in batches in a blender; return to pan. If desired, thin with additional water or broth; heat through. Serve with parsley. Freeze option: Freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little broth or water if necessary.
