Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with White Cheddar & Apple Grilled Cheese

Who doesn't remember eating Tomato soup and grilled cheese as a kid! It is an American classic! As fall is in full swing, I decided to kick it up a notch and play with tradition. Instead of American cheese on white and a bowl of Campbells, I thought a homemade Roasted Butternut Squash soup served with a Apple, Sage and White Cheddar grilled cheese would be new and even more scrumptious traditions. The soup and the sandwich are filled with the richness of fall! Also, great for family!!

This recipe is for 2 sandwiches and at least 6 full bowl servings of soup.

Ingredients:

For the Soup:

3 pounds butternut squash ( Don't bother buying it whole. It's a pain in the rear to cut up. Purchase it cubed in containers or bags at Costco or the grocery store)

1.5 yellow onion, cubed

2 apples, peeled and cubed ( I used Pink Lady)

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

4 c chicken stock, plus 1-3 to add

2 garlic cloves, simmered with stock

Dash of nutmeg

Sage leaves, in oil and crispy

For the sandwich:

4 slices of thick white bread, buttered

a few slices sharp white cheddar, such as Tillamook

a few very thin slices of apple

a few sage leaves

Preheat your oven to 450. Lay butternut squash, apple, onions on sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss with your hands. Roast in oven for 35-40 minutes or until soft. Meanwhile, start simmer chicken stock in small stock pot with garlic cloves. (I also added a few chopped carrots, 1/2 onion, bay leaf and peppercorns for extra flavor. Just be sure to drain the extras out before you add to the roasted veggies. ) You can also start preparing your grilled cheeses. Butter the bread and lay cheese, apple and sage on one side. Cover with plastic wrap, so the bread doesn't dry out while you wait.

Once the the squash, apple, and onion are soft place them in a blender or food processor one batch at a time. Add some stock (with the cloves) to each batch and puree until smooth and creamy. Place each batch in a larger stock pot, slowly adding pureed veggies and a bit of stock form the other smaller pot. Continue simmering and adding stock until the soup is the consistency and thickness of your liking. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Grill up your sandwiches, and crisp your sage leaves in olive oil and salt. Let them get extra crispy...if the leaves are not crisp completely (let them turn several shades darker) they'll taste funky. Serve sandwiches alongside soup. Garnish soup with crispy sage leaves. Dig in!!