Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Ingredients

• 1 cup apple cider 
• 6 cups butternut squash cubes 
• 0.5 cup carrots chopped
• 0.5 cup celery chopped
• 5 cups chicken stock see 
• 5 slices bacon crumbled cooked
• 0.5 teaspoon sage dried
• 1.5 teaspoons thyme leaves dried
• 2 small granny smith apples diced cored
• 2 cups leeks light white green chopped
• 6 servings salt to taste
• 5 tablespoons butter unsalted

Equipment

• pot
• blender

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Saute butternut squash, leeks, carrots, and celery in hot butter until vegetables are softened, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Stir apples, thyme, and sage into the squash mixture; pour in chicken stock and cider. Bring mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover pot with a lid, and cook until vegetables and apples are tender, about 30 minutes.
4. Remove soup from heat and cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
5. Pour soup into a blender no more than half full. Cover and hold lid down; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Puree in batches until smooth. Return mixture to pot and season with salt to taste.
6. Garnish individual servings with crumbled bacon.