Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Soup

Love Love Love this soup! It's important to note that you can use either a butternut squash OR an acorn squash. I almost always use the butternut though:)

Ingredients:

1 medium size pie pumpkin (3.5lbs)
1 medium size butternut squash (2 lb)
4 Tbsp. butter, divided
2 Tbsp honey, divided
1 tsp salt, divided
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
4 tsp chopped fresh thyme
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup half-n-half
3 tsp cider vinegar
3/4 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
ground pepper to taste
(Optional toppings - roasted nuts, goat cheese, thyme, etc)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400. Cut pumpkin and squash in half lengthwise, cutting through stem and bottom ends. (I use a pretty long knife -- put some muscle into it!) Scoop out seeds and goo. Place cut sides up on foil-lined baking sheet. 
2. Microwave 2 Tbsp butter and stir in 1 Tbsp honey and 1/2 tsp salt. Brush cut sides with this mixture. 
3. Bake at 400 until tender. (Probably 1 hr 15 min).
4. Let cool completely then scoop out the pulp.

5. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion, saute 5 min. Add thyme; saute 1 min or until fragrant. 

6. Sir in chicken broth and pulp from pumpkin and squash. Bring to a boil on med-high heat. Reduce heat to low, simmer 10 min. 

7. If you have a hand-held blender, use it directly in the Dutch oven to process the pulp. If not, process the soup in batches in a food processor.

 8. Stir in half-n-half, cider vinegar, ginger, nutmeg and remaining 1 Tbsp honey. Salt to taste.
9. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until thoroughly heated. 
10. Serve. Garnish with thyme, goat cheese, roasted nuts, etc.

The soup made last October. Burlap and garland look familiar!