• 1 med. to large butternut squash
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 Tbs. vegetable oil
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 ½ c. water
• 1 ½ c. tomato juice
• 1 c. apple juice
• 1 c. orange juice
• salt and pepper

For a full recipe, you need about 2 c. cooked squash pulp.  Bake or boil the squash.  To bake, halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Place the halves cut side down on an oiled baking sheet and cover loosely with aluminum foil.  Bake at 350 degrees until tender (45 minutes-1 hour).  Scoop out pulp and discard skin.  To boil, peel the squash, halve it and scoop out the seeds.  Cut it into chunks and place in a saucepan with water to cover.  Bring the water to a boil and cook until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain and reserve the liquid.  Meanwhile, sauté the chopped onion in the oil with the nutmeg, cinnamon, thyme, and bay leaves until onion is translucent.  Add the diced carrot and celery and the water (if you boiled the squash, use the reserved liquid).  Cover and simmer until the carrots are tender.  Remove the bay leaves.  In a blender or food processor, puree the cooked squash, the onion-carrot mixture, and the juices in batches.  Gently reheat the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste.

From Sundays at the Moosewood Restaurant.