Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Recipe from Barefoot Contessa

Ina Garten knows her stuff. This soup is simple and really delicious. Even if you don't like curry, don't shy away from this recipe! I promise. My boyfriend is not a curry fan, and he loves this soup. The curry powder just gives the soup more depth of flavor and a nice warmth.  It's a bit labor-intensive to prepare (a lot of peeling and chopping), but it is completely worth it. Just set aside at least 20 minutes to prep the ingredients and about an hour to cook everything. The original recipe includes a list of suggested toppings.  I've made this soup about 10 times, and somehow every time I go to the store, I forget to buy the toppings... so I can't comment on what's best. They all sound like great flavor compliments though, so I'll include them for those of you who are capable of remembering a full list of ingredients while grocery shopping.

Soup Ingredients:

3 to 4 lbs. butternut squash - peel and remove seeds
2 medium-small yellow onions
2 McIntosh apples - peeled and cored
3 tbs. olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
Garlic powder *This wasn't in the original recipe, but I think it tastes better with it
2 to 4 cups chicken stock
1/2 tsp. curry powder

Toppings:

Scallions (white and green parts - chopped on a diagonal)
Flaked sweetened coconut - lightly toasted
Roasted salted cashews - toasted and chopped
Diced banana

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F
2. Cut the squash, apples, and onions into 1-inch cubes
3. Place them on a sheet pan and toss with the olive oil, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper
4. Divide the chopped mixture between 2 sheet pans to spread out in a single layer on each pan
5. Roast for 30-45 minutes until very tender, tossing the mixture occasionally for even roasting
6. Meanwhile, simmer the chicken stock on a low heat
7. When the squash mixture is done roasting, transfer the mix in batches into a food processor (or a blender). Puree to desired texture (I like to leave a few chunks, but you could make it completely smooth if you like). Add some of the chicken stock to help puree the mixture more easily.
8. Pour the pureed veggie mix into a large pot and add enough chicken stock to make a thick soup
9. Add the curry powder, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. black pepper, and a few good sprinkles of garlic powder (I've never actually measured out how much I put in... but it's always good to start with less because garlic powder is some strong stuff)
10. Add toppings (or don't) and eat!!

So. Much. Soup.