Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Sausage and Corn

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. Butternet Squash, peeled and cubed into 1 inch chunks (store-bought or fresh)
  
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 4 cups Chicken Broth (I used the canned, fat-free and it turned out ok)
  
• 1 cup finely chopped Onions
• 1 - 1 1/4 lbs. Sweet Italian Sausage cut into 1/4 inch chunks
  
• 1 cup or can Whole Kernel Corn
• 3/4 cup Half-and-Half
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Parsley leaves (dried works, too)
  
• Salt
• Ground black pepper

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 
• Season the squash with 1 tablespoon of the oil, then salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until tender. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
• In a blender or food processor, puree the squash with 1 cup of the chicken stock. Puree until smooth and set aside. 
• In a large saucepan over medium heat, add a tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the sausage and brown for about 3 minutes.
• Add the cup of onions. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 3 minutes or until onions have caramelized.
• Add the corn.
  
• Add the 3 cups of stock and squash puree. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface.
• Remove from the heat, stir in the half-and-half and season with salt and pepper.  (Optional: season w/ sugar or Splenda to make it sweeter.) 
• Stir in the parsley and serve.

ENJOY!