Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

I made this as a first course for Thanksgiving dinner at my Aunt Sharon's house. This is by far my favorite thing I've cooked lately. It has the perfect blend of seasonings and fall flavors. It's slightly spicy but doesn't overpower the butternut, only amplifies its flavor. This soup would be great a big sour dough bread bowl. No pictures unfortunately--got eaten too quickly!

Ingredients:

3 pounds butternut squash (about 2 medium squash), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
5 large whole sage leaves
4 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Crispy sage leaves or toasted pepitas for garnish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

1. Combine squash, olive oil, garam masala, ginger, salt and pepper in large bowl and mix until squash is well-coated. Arrange squash in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray or lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes or until soft and tender.

2. While squash is roasting, set a large pot over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic and sage, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion just turns golden, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the sage leaves and discard. Add the stock and roasted squash to the soup pot and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

3. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor and return it to the pot. Stir in the cream and reheat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve garnished with crispy sage leaves and/or toasted pepitas.

Serves 8 as a first course.

I couldn't find garam masala in the grocery store so I googled this substituted:
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp crumbled bay leaves
1/8 tsp ground cloves

If you don't have a food possessor no biggy. You could serve this soup minus the processing step for a hardier texture.