Apple Butternut Squash Soup

This is perfect as a first course for Thanksgiving.  The recipe is from Great Cooking with the Country Inn Chefs, by Gail Greco, an cookbook I found years ago on a remainders table at Borders, I think.  This particular recipe is the creation of Carl Warner, who at the time was the chef at The Chesterfield Inn, in New Hampshire.  I more or less cut the recipe in half, though I tend to use a bit more than half the cumin and cinnamon.  The following reflects that.

3 T butter
1 medium or 2 small onions
1 1/2 lbs Butternut squash, peeled and cubed
4 tart red apples, such as pink ladies or braeburns, peeled, cored and cut into chunks.
1 1/2 T sugar
3/4 T ground Cumin
3/4 T cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
5 cups low sodium chicken broth.
Greek yogurt or sour cream and chopped chives to garnish.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot,  saute the onions in the butter until they're translucent, then add all ingredients except the garnishes to the pot.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 30-45 minutes, until the squash is tender.

Puree the soup, using either an immersion blender or just a blender.  (The immersion blender isn't terribly expensive, and is really useful for this and many other recipes.  Worth getting if you enjoy making soups, sauces, or even your own baby food.)
Top with yogurt or sour cream and chopped chives.  Serves 4-6.