I was that girl. During my time in college, I lived in a house with 17 women.
Yes, 17 women. That was not a typo.
And while living in my house with 17 women, I would often make homemade soup while listening to Frank Sinatra.
Not exactly your typical college student.
This was my first experience living outside of the dorms. My first experience having a kitchen at my fingertips, and the novelty of shared pots with mismatched lids felt like I was in a chef’s kitchen. I loved being able to cook my own meals, even if it meant opening a can of beans and plopping them on a tortilla for lunch.
And while I was that girl who didn’t always fit the stereotypical college student, I was definitely having a blast and making some of the best friendships of my life. The best part was that I got along beautifully with all the women in that house, and the vast majority of us enjoyed cooking. Some of my favorite memories were our “house potlucks” where all 17 of us would sit down to a giant homemade meal together. It was the first time many of us attempted our family’s passed-down recipes without our parents telling us how much sugar to add or when you need to stir in a pinch more salt.
During this time, my mom sent me The Cook’s Encyclopedia of Soup. It was a small book that fit nicely between my Psychology and Statistics text books, and it got at least just as much use. 
To this day, it is still one of my favorite cookbooks. Packed with hundreds of soup recipes for all seasons and tastes, it always seems to get a bit more frayed and stained every fall.
That’s where the inspiration for this Butternut Squash Bisque came from. Just thinking of all the delicious food I get to enjoy over the next several weeks has me craving a cozy, yet light soup, and this fits the bill perfectly.
Butternut Squash Bisque
Ingredients
- 2 tbs. olive oil
- 2 onions, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 potato, peeled and cubed
- 1 tsp. paprika
- Oregano, to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook about 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in squash, broth, potato and paprika.
2. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 30-35 minutes until vegetables and soft.
3. Using an immersion blender (or by pouring soup into a blender), blend soup until smooth. Return to heat, season with oregano, salt and pepper, serve warm and enjoy!
