18 years ago I was driving home with my dad from some sort of errand that he had taken me on. I was less then happy to be there, as this errand had taken valuable time away from me and my pubescent brooding. I always preferred to brood alone. The tension in the car was palpable. Neither of us spoke for what seemed like over an hour. I didn't speak because I knew my dad wouldn't understand anything I was going through. I was the world's first 14 year old after all. My dad didn't speak because, well, sometimes he just didn't talk a lot, unless it was to curse another driver who was driving faster or slower or more stupidly then he. We approached a red light close to the house. It had been silent for an eternity. I got the distinct feeling my dad wanted to tell me something. I looked over at him and saw that he was already looking at me. Our eyes met, and he calmly says to me "I like soup." "OK" I replied. That was all that was said during the entire trip.

To make roasted butternut squash soup, do the following:

Slice two butternut squash in half and scrape out the seeds. Rub with a little olive oil and roast flesh side down for about 50 minutes. The flesh should be easily penetrated by a fork. Pull them out of the oven and let cool. While cooling, saute two chopped onions in a two hunks of butter. Cook them slowly so they soften and turn golden, not burnt. When they are sweet and soft, add about 1/2 cup of brandy, off the heat. If you are feeling lucky, hold a lighter over the pan and say goodbye to your eyebrows.
Combine the flesh of the squash with onions. Add a portion of the mixture to a blender. Add some chicken stock and evaporated milk and blend until smooth. Repeat with remaining squash/onion mixture. For this batch I used about 5 cups of chicken stock and 1 cup of evaporated milk. Not all squash are the same. Some are bigger or starchier then others. Use the stock and the evaporated milk to achieve the consistency you are after.

This soup is perfect for cool fall days. Best enjoyed with someone who likes soup.