In love with my new blender

Jeremy got me an immersion blender for Christmas (or maybe he got it for himself- he really likes blenders and the things they make), and my first project was another whirl at an already great butternut squash and apple soup. OH MY GOD THE BLENDER MADE IT SO MUCH BETTER. I liked this soup before, but it was pretty tedious because it required straining the soup, then dividing it into several smaller batches to puree one by one in the food processor. No more! I left it all in, threw the new blender in there, and five minutes later had a soup that was not only simpler, easier, and cleaner to make, but also had a far superior texture to the food processor version. Who knew butternut squash = velvet?
The blender was so much fun to use, in fact, that I sort of just kept going forever with it. Kitchen appliances are certainly addicting, both in the buying and the using.

I would like to preface this recipe by saying I HATE SQUASH. It has long been on my list of worst foods, right up there with liver and sauerkraut (we'll talk about that some other time, but suffice it to say that I hate that stuff and yet still eat it annually due to some masterfully subtle guilt trip on my mother's part). Something about squash just inspires the most awful gag reflex, and I've always dreaded it, especially since we ate about a truckload of it growing up. Somehow, though, this recipe makes me forget all of that - kind of says something about the soup, no?

Here is my reworking of the original (Give it a try, even without an immersion blender. It's worth the effort, although I would recommend using a regular blender in place of a food processor). You'll need at least a six quart pot, and you may want to use a saucepan to sautee the onions, then transfer to a stock pot for the rest. I use a Le Creuset dutch oven for the whole process.

2 large white onions, chopped
3 large tart apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (I use 2 Granny Smith and one Cortland)
~8 cups of peeled, seeded, chopped butternut squash (I cheated and bought it pre-cut)
4 cups chicken stock or broth
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk (the original recipe asks for cream, but I use skim; anything will work)
salt and pepper to taste
~ 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence (optional but really good)

Melt butter over medium heat, then saute onions until translucent.
Add half of the chicken stock and bring mixture to a boil.
Add squash, apples, and remainder of stock, and season with salt, pepper, and Herbes de Provence. Bring to a boil again.
Reduce heat and cover. Let simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender.
Blend mixture until smooth and velvety (either with immersion blender or in batches in a standard blender; if using immersion blender, take soup off of heat to avoid risk of burning in case of splashing).
Once soup is at correct consistency, bring back to a simmer and add milk, stirring until completely incorporated.
Serve in individual bowls with parmesan grated on top. Crusty, toasted, and buttered bread is essential for dipping, and a green salad is great on the side.

You can make the soup ahead of time to freeze, but if so, do not add the milk until you reheat and serve the soup.

What to make now??? I'm thinking a potato, carrot, or tomato soup.