I ventured out to our garden today, packing my scissors out in a grocery bag. I told Chili, our 5-year-old miniature Australian Shepherd that we were going out to the garden. As the day was rainy, I put on my waterproof boots. The pickings were slim but I saw plenty of life. I pulled one green onion and left about five. I cut several stems of English thyme. I cut one short stem of chocolate mint and the tops of several sage plants. Once back inside, I cleaned the onion and put the herbs in a medium Corelle bowl and rinsed them 20 times. After each rinse, rinse again, until the water is clear. What I ultimately decided to put in the soup was the green onion and six sage leaves. I was going for subtle and not overpowering flavors.

Ingredients

Butternut Squash, 1 medium

Apple, 1 peeled and chopped

Green onion, 1 fresh

Sage leaves, 6 fresh

Butter, 1 tbsp

Garlic, 1 clove, minced

Ginger, 1 inch knob

Chicken broth, low sodium, 1 ½ cups

Apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp

Parchment paper, optional

Water, 1 cup

Preparation

Cut, clean and chop the herbs, as described above. Next bake the butternut squash. Use parchment paper and line a shallow baking dish. Set the squash in and put in the water. Bake 350 F for one hour. Allow to cool for 30 minutes. As it is cooling, prepare the apple. Heat, on a low temperature, in a large skillet with butter and garlic. Add the chopped apple, green onion and sage. Either grate or mince the ginger. Add to the soup and add the cider vinegar. Stir in the chicken broth, cover and stir every few minutes. Cook until the apple softens. Turn off the heat. Use a handheld potato masher to break up the large pieces. Allow to cool for 30 minutes. Use a hand immersion blender to create a smooth soup.