Luscious Pumpkin & Butternut Squash Soup with Steamed Mussels

pumpkin-butternut squash soup made at La Tavola Marche photo by MeaningofPie.com

Fall in a bowl - pumpkin or squash soup would make a

perfect dish to add to your Thanksgiving dinner or lunch on a rainy day. Since you can cook it off a day or 2 before, it makes for one less thing

to do on turkey day! This soup has become a tradition in our house -

it's so creamy & delicious. If you want to make this simple soup extra fancy add a few steamed mussels just before you serve.

• Butternut Squash Soup
• 2 medium butternut squash - peeled, diced, seeded (or any hard squash/pumpkin)
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled, diced
• 2 ribs celery diced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• vegetable stock
• olive oil
• bay leaf
• fresh thyme
• salt & pepper
• In a soup pot heat 2 glugs of olive oil over med low heat, add carrots,

celery, onions & garlic - until translucent - about 15-20 minutes.

Then add your squash, bay leaf & a couple sprigs of fresh thyme and

salt & pepper. Sautée for another 15-20 min. on med-low heat until

the squash starts to fall apart & gets soft.

Cover with vegetable stock & cook another 20 min. until the squash is now totally soft. You may need to adjust the amount - if it looks like it is getting too thick, add a little water.

Blend with a hand blender & then add in about half a cup of heavy cream. (I know the cream sounds heavy, but it really rounds out the vegetables.) Adjust the seasonings to your liking: you can add in cinnamon, nutmeg

&/or a clove to make it a bit more spicy & festive!

Toast a piece of bread & float it on top and a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil.

photo: www.recipegirl.com