Recipe of the Week- Butternut Squash

Homemade Butternut Squash Soup with Broccoli and Ham

Butternut Squash is still in season!

This means it's cheaper this time of year and in full flavor. It looks like there is still some harvest left over from the fall. It's also chock full of Vitamin A (the darker the squash the better),
which is important for vision (maintenance of cornea), epithelial cells, mucous membranes, skin, bone and tooth growth, regulation of gene expression, reproduction, and immunity.
1 cup of this veg will provide you with 457% of your daily needs for Vitamin A!

So I bought 2 medium-sized butternut squashes before Christmas, determined to re-attempt my efforts at making a butternut squash soup that was savory, sweet, delicious, creamy, healthy, and hearty all at the same time. My last attempt went horribly wrong and I am proud to say that this time around I have succeeded! And the true test was that even my little sister couldn't help but sneak little samples in. With all of the holiday parties, potlucks, and left over foods, I was only able to make this soup just yesterday! But I was happy to know that the squash lasted so long on my countertop- I think this may have helped them ripen and sweeten up a little bit more than if I had cooked them right away.

They smelled so delicious- almost like a melon fruit

I then proceeded to chop them into medium-sized chunks. I left the skin on because if you're familiar with this type of winter squash you'll know that the skin is very tough and hard to cut into. I boiled them to soften them up so that once they were tender the skin almost peeled right off when I trimmed it from the meat.

Check out below for the full recipe and preparation instructions

Ingredients:
1 medium-sized butternut squash
4 cups Chicken Broth
3/4 cup Half and Half
3 cups baby broccoli with stems cut off
1 cup chopped ham or your choice of protein (I had some frozen ham leftover from Christmas)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano

Preparation:
Cut butternut squash length-wise into medium-sized chunks leaving the skin on. Add to large pot of boiling water to soften the meat of the squash. Once tender, remove from heat and trim skin off of meat of squash (this part should be very easy as the skin will fall right off once squash is soft).
Split squash into 2 batches, blend one batch at a time, adding chicken broth to the blender to help liquify and smoothen out the mixture. Do the same for the second batch of squash until it reaches desired consistency and texture. Place both batches of squash mixture into pot and add half and half, seasonings, broccoli, and ham. Let sit for about 30-45 minutes to let flavors settle and become richer.
Garnish with your favorite herb and serve hot!
Bon Appétit!

xoxo Mary

References:
Frances Sienkiewicz Sizer, Ellie Whitney, and Leonard A. Piché.Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (First Canadian Edition ed). Scarborough, ON: Nelson Education Limited, 2012.

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2648/2