Gisela's Butternut Squash Soup

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat, and cook and stir the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth, and stir in the butternut squash cubes, orange juice, and orange zest. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the squash cubes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour back into the pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot. Whisk in sour cream until smooth, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat over medium-low heat until almost simmering, and serve hot.

Cook's Notes

The number of servings is largely dependent on the size of your butternut, so it can be a good idea to double the recipe for soup for a group--it's always a big hit!

Substitute vegetable stock for chicken broth to make a vegetarian soup.