Butternut Squash Soup

My 7 year old loves my belly. He says it's soft and bouncy like a trampoline. I, on the other hand, do NOT love my belly. Because it IS soft and bouncy like a trampline. So in an effort to make it less bouncy, I've gone through my sister's old Cooking Light magazines and collected around 15 recipes that I would like to give a try this year.

Butternut Squash Soup, the first on my list, was a success! It's thick and creamy, slightly sweet, and chock full of vitamin A. You'll definitely want to double this recipe.

Butternut Squash Soup (from Cooking Light)

1 tablespoon butter
3 1/2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3/4 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
2 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/8 teaspoon salt

To prepare soup, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add squash, carrot, and onion; sauté for 12 minutes. Add chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in half-and-half and salt.

Place squash mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape), and secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth.