Butternut Squash Soup with Andouille Sausage

Ingredients:

The heat in this soup cuts through even the most bitter cold of winter. It's hearty and thick, and eats more like a stew than a soup.

1 teaspoon canola oil
1 cup onions, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups butternut squash, peeled &, cubed (about 1 1/2 lbs)
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
10 1/2 ounces vegetable broth or chicken broth
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans whole tomatoes, chopped
2 (15 ounce) cans navy beans, drained
2 (12 ounce) packages andouille sausage, diced
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Almost any standard cooking oil will work, I just had canola handy. You can also play around with the sausage you use; Kielbasa or any other smoked spicy sausage would work just as well.

Step 1:

Now prep all of the ingredients.

Step 2:

Add oil, cumin, cinnamon, garlic, and onions to a medium pot and saute for about five minutes:

Step 3:

Now add everything else except the beans and sausage and bring to a boil.

Step 4:

Reduce heat to a simmer, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Step 5:

Remove from heat and make certain that the squash is tender.

Step 6:

Now get out your handy dandy stick blender and puree the heck out of it.

Step 7:

Place the pot back on the heat, and add the beans and sausage. Return the soup to serving temperature.

Step 8:

Ladle into a soup bowl of ample size, and garnish with parsley. Serve with a chunk of your favorite rustic bread and beer (or egg nog; as my girlfriend discovered it actually goes quite well with the soup).