Thanksgiving Soup Recipe

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 carrots, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup pulpy orange juice
• 2 to 3 cups butternut squash puree
• 2 or 3 cups chicken broth
• Salt and pepper
• Grated nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, for garnish
• 1 tablespoon orange zest, for garnish

Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. When butter has melted, add the onion and carrots and cook until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. De-glaze with the orange juice and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
Transfer the mixture to a food processor or a blender. Puree the mixture until smooth, then return to pot over medium heat. To mixture, add the butternut squash puree and the chicken broth and stir to combine. Adjust the seasoning. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Grate some fresh nutmeg and stir to combine.

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped thyme and orange zest.

This is a wonderful soup to fix anytime in the fall but for some reason I always fix it for Thanksgiving. I put it in the slow cooker after it is cooked and leave it on the counter so if anyone is hungry before dinner is ready they can have a tasty cup of soup to hold them over. I think it is much better than a lot of other appetizers and much better for them.

By HBHW reader CeCe