Butternut-Apple Soup with Cranberry-Cheddar-Pecan Pie Crust Leaves

Butternut-Apple Soup is a sweet and savory soup,

 ideal for fall with butternut squash and apples in season!

 I’m serving it up with a side of with

 Cranberry-Cheddar-Pecan Pie Crust Leaves,

 pie crust leaf “sandwiches” of pecans, cranberries, and cheese!

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The pie crust leaves are a variation of Cranberry-Pecan Pie Crust Leaves,

with the addition of cheddar cheese to complement the

 flavor of apple in the soup!

I adapted a recipe for Carrot-Apple Soup in

Southern Living Magazine’s September issue.

I substituted butternut squash for carrot and made an additional change, using evaporated milk instead of cream called for in the recipe for a lower fat alternative. The butternut and apples are pureed, resulting in a thick and creamy soup with the addition of evaporated milk, without the additional calories or fat.

You can find the steps and directions to make the

Cranberry-Cheddar-Pecan Pie Crust Leaves, HERE.

I added 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

along with 1/2 cup each of pecans and dried cranberries.

After you cut out your leaf shapes, you can score the tops with a knife to create the veins of leaves if desired.

12 Piece Fall Cookie Cutter Set, 4.7 out of 5 stars with 659 global ratings

Butternut-Apple Soup, adapted from Southern Living

Ingredients

2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cubed

3 tart apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled and chopped (about 1 lb.)

1 large yellow onion

*2 cups cream (substitute 12-oz. can evaporated whole milk and 4 oz. chicken stock for lower fat alternative)

2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock, plus additional stock to thin soup if desired

1 1/4 cups apple cider

3 fresh thyme sprigs

*1 teaspoon kosher salt, adjust to taste

*1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, adjust to taste

Garnishes: diced apples, chopped toasted pecans, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, and/ or crispy prosciutto

Directions

Bring all ingredients to a boil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 40 to 45 minutes or until butternut squash is tender. Remove from heat, and cool 15 minutes.

Remove thyme sprigs. Process soup, in batches, in a blender or food processor until smooth. For a thinner soup, stir in more stock to your desired consistency. Spoon into individual bowls, and garnish as desired.

For less clean up, use an immersion blender. My immersion blender is a favorite kitchen tool! You don’t have to worry about exploding soup in your regular blender and you have less clean up by blending directly in your soup pot. An immersion blender is also handy to make whipped cream in about 20 seconds.

If you’re in the market for an immersion blender, this one, received 4.6 stars out of 5, with 1,106 global ratings. It comes with multiple attachments that you can detach and swap out with a single click. It also has a nylon blade guard designed to minimize suction, preventing scratches on your pots and pans.

I think this soup is even better reheated the second day after the flavors have had a chance to meld! To serve, garnish with diced apples, chopped toasted pecans, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt and/ or crispy prosciutto if desired.

I highly recommend serving it with Cranberry-Cheddar-Pecan Pie Crust Leaves!

Fans of butternut squash might also like:

• Black Bean, Sausage and Butternut Squash Chili: A hearty and colorful chili with the nutrition and flavor bumped up with butternut squash, fire roasted tomatoes and protein-rich black beans. Chia seeds add some unexpected crunch, thickening power and beneficial omega-3s.
• Butternut Caprese Salad: A fall twist on the classic Italian caprese salad with some Southern flavor…Hot Bacon Dressing!
• Butternut Hummus: Fans of butternut squash and hummus will love this flavorful mash up in a delicious and healthy fall appetizer.

Find a harvest of Fresh Picked Apple Recipes to celebrate apple season,  HERE

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