At Christmastime, I attended a fancy DAR luncheon. Featured on the menu was Butternut Squash Soup. Surprisingly, I had never tasted this before. Seems hard to believe, since my Dad grew what seemed to me like an acre of squash. 

He had all kinds, maybe a dozen varieties, ranging from the early summer squash to the big banana and hubbard that ripened in the fall. He stored them in the grain bin out by the barn, and we had squash all winter long. Mother always baked or pan-fried them, or put them in a combination dish.  She never did make a squash soup.

I came home from the luncheon and began looking for soup recipes. I found a few, and tried them all. It's good made with other squash, not just butternut. I've made my own adaptations. This is what I came up with. You can add more squash, or less milk, or more cayenne if you like a little more bite to it.

4 c. milk
2 TB. diced onion
1/2  bay leaf
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 c. cooked & pureed squash
3 TB butter
3 TB flour
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1/4 tsp. lemon pepper
dash or 2 of cayenne pepper
paprika for topping

Scald the milk with the bay leaf, onion, and bouillon cube.  Remove bay leaf and set aside.  Puree the onion in with the squash. In separate pan melt the butter and add flour and seasonings (make a roux). Add milk gradually, stirring constantly until it boils and thickens a bit. Add pureed squash and bring to a boil again. Taste for salt content. I usually don't add extra. The celery salt and bouillon seem to be enough. It's good served with croutons, or a dollop of sour cream, sprinkle with paprika. Serves 6.  PD