Butternut Squash Soup 2

Ingredients:

4 lbs whole butternut squash (about 2 medium)
2 Tbs butter
1 medium Granny Smith apple, (peeled, cored, and diced)
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 cups water
1 tsp salt, plus more if needed
1/4 tsp pepper
1/3-1/2 cup cream
1 Tbs brown sugar (opt)
pinch of nutmeg or pinch of sage (opt)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Poke holes in squash with fork or knife. Microwave for 3 minutes each. Allow to cool. Cut in half, remove seeds, and place face down in baking pan. (I cover mine with tin foil). Put in oven and pour water into pan around squash halves. Bake 1 1/2 hours. (Alternately, you can brush halves with olive oil or butter, lightly salt and pepper them and cook them facing up for the same amount of time.)
Allow squash to cool slightly and scoop flesh out into bowl.
Melt butter in pan. Saute onion and apples until softened, about 7 minutes. Add squash, broth, water and seasonings. Mix and heat on medium low until it simmers. Continue to stir and simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove from head and stir in cream.
With an immersion blender or regular blender, puree the soup until smooth.