The winter here in Iowa has been absolutely brutal the last few weeks, and when the weather turns as nasty as it has been, I immediately think of soup for dinner. It's easy to do...you can double/triple as you need, and the leftovers (if any) are mighty tasty.

We had a bumper crop of apples last fall...so much so that the local deer population got fat on the ones that spoiled! Now to just keep them out of the garden come spring planting time! A favorite soup recipe here is this Apple Cheddar Squash Soup. We always seem to have apples (spring frosts permitting), and we always grow butternut squash (our favorite kind of winter squash). I found this recipe in Food Network Magazine, and it really was perfect for our family.


             
                         Apple-Cheddar-Squash Soup

Serving Size: 4     Preparation Time:  0:28 minutes     








  

  Ingredients:

 5 Tbs.               unsalted butter
   1                       medium onion, thinly sliced
   2                       medium apples, thinly sliced
   1                       large white potato, diced
   1-1/2  cups       chopped peeled butternut squash, fresh or frozen
                            Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  1/2  tsp.             dried sage
  2 Tbs                 all-purpose flour
  1/3  cup             apple cider
   4 cups              low-sodium chicken broth
   1 cup                milk
   2  ounces          thinly sliced prosciutto, torn into bite-size pieces
   2  cups             grated sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish
                           Chopped chives, for garnish (optional)
                           Crusty bread, for serving (optional)

Instructions:

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium-low heat and add the onion, apples, potato and squash. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in the sage and flour. Add the cider and cook over high heat, stirring, until thickened. Add the broth and milk, cover and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the potato is soft, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the prosciutto and cook until crisp, turning occasionally, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Add the cheese to the soup and stir over medium-low heat until melted. Puree in a blender in batches until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the prosciutto, more cheese and chives, if using. Serve with bread, if desired.