You better watch out.....you Butternut cry!!

The weather today has been horrible, I have spent the whole day Christmas shopping and I am now beat. So I wanted something yummy, cockle warming and thrifty to cook for dinner tonight.

In my fridge I had some Carmelised Onion Sausages and a Butternut squash. After a spot of googling I came across a delicious sounding recipe on the Food Network.

Here is the amended version:

Butternut Squash and Italian Sausage Soup

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash, halved and seeds scraped out

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

300g sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings (to make this extra thrifty I used 4 caramelised onion pork sausages instead (or you could use pork and apple) as they are lovely and sweet

1 large onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic,crushed

1tbsp of dried mixed herbs (if you have any Marjoram then add an extra tsp of this)

500ml - 1000ml of chicken stock (depends how thick thin you like it, use at least 2 stock cubes)

1 teaspoon cider vinegar or lemon juice

100ml double cream (I used full fat milk as don't like too much cream)

2 tablespoons butter

Method:

- Preheat the oven to 200degrees

- Put some greaseproof paper in a baking tin and then drizzle over some of the vegetable oil to lightly coat the squash halves, season the inside with salt and pepper and place cut side down on baking paper. Bake for around 45 mins until the flesh is soft.

- When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out all of the flesh and discard the skin. Put the cooked squash to one side.

- Heat your remaining veg oil and add the sausage (make sure they are out of their skins) use a spatula or wooden spoon to break it up into pieces, cook until golden brown.

- Add the onions and cook for about 10 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and mixed herbs and cook for 1 minute.

- Add the cooked squash and chicken stock, stir and bring to the boil, once it reaches that point turn it down low and simmer for 30 mins

- use a blender or hand-held blender to blitz the soup until smooth (I like it slightly rustic so leave it a little lumpy. If you want it extra fine use a sieve to get rid of any of the last lumps. 

- Add the cider vinegar and stir and then add the cream (or milk) if you want it creamy

- Serve with hot buttery rolls..........yummy!!

I honestly have to say this was absolutely delicious! Myself and my daughter both really enjoyed it and will enjoy it again tomorrow too for our lunch!