Butternut Squash Soup with Ricotta

For the past few weeks, the weather here in LA has been oscillating 

between gorgeous sunny days and cold, drizzly days.

Toying with both our emotions and our sinuses.

I'm sure all of you in the midwest and east coast can really sympathize, right?

This week I had fully planned on making these veggie enchiladas,

but when the weather turned dreary 

I suddenly became obsessed with the idea of making butternut squash soup.

I did a quick search for a simple recipe, 

and fittingly chose this one from Simply Recipes.

Inspired by a butternut squash and ricotta tartine I'd had earlier at Le Pain Quotidien,

I decided to eliminate the apple and instead 

added a dollop of ricotta to give a touch of creamy texture.

Served with a thick slice of crusty bread, 

this soup made the perfect dinner to warm us up.

Butternut Squash Soup with Ricotta

Adapted from Simply Recipes

2 Tablespoons butter

1 large carrot, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 rib celery, chopped

1 butternut squash (about 3 lbs), peeled, seeded, and cubed

4 cups vegetable broth

Pinches of nutmeg, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and pepper

Ricotta cheese

Scallions, for garnish

1. Melt butter in a dutch oven over med-high heat.  Careful not to let it brown.

2.  Add carrot, onion, and celery.  Saute for 5-8 minutes, letting the veggies soften but not brown.

3.  Add the squash and broth.  Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until squash and carrots are softened.  Puree in a blender or with immersion blender.

4.  Season with spices, adjusting to your taste.

5.  Serve soup in a bowl with a dollop of ricotta cheese.  Garnish with scallions.

ENJOY!