Butternut Squash with a Balsamic Glaze and Toasted Pecans.

I have made so many butternut squash soups but I had the urge to make a very special one suited for the fall time. Honestly I could eat butternut squash any day and often do, whether it is a hot summer day here on the coast (I live in southern California by the ocean for all those who don't know) or chilly and rainy. Pinterest often inspires me to up my foodie game, so I decided to create something fancy. The sweetness of a butternut squash soup balanced by the tartness of a balsamic glaze just sounded so perfect.

Below is the recipe for the soup and glaze. An option is to toast pecans in a pan on medium heat for 7 minutes and add on top.

Butternut Squash Soup

--- Ingredients ---

2 shallots

6 cloves of garlic

2 tBsps extra virgin olive oil

1 medium sized butternut squash

3 cups of water

1 tBsp sea salt

1tBsp black pepper

1 tBsp onion powder

1 tBsp dried rosemary

Step 1 ---

Remove the skin of the shallots and garlic and then discard. Then roughly chop the shallots and garlic. Sautee the pieces in the oil in a large pot on low heat.

Step 2 ---

After 7 minutes add the rest of the ingredients and cover the pot and then cook on medium heat for 15 minutes. After the squash is completely cooked, add all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

Balsamic Vinegar

--- Ingredients ---

2 cups balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

Step 1 ---

Add the vinegar and sugar to a small pot and mix together with a fork or whisk. Cook this on medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 20 minutes. Then once the mixture has reduced significantly after 20 minutes (it should reduce to about 1/2 of the original amount), let it cool. You can test the mixture by sticking a spoon in the pot. If the mixture sticks to the back of the spoon then you can turn off the heat. Once it cools it will thicken and you can drizzle on top of the soup for a beautiful presentation. The rest of the glaze should be stored in the refrigerator for later use.