Butternut Squash Soup

Today has been a total bust. I went to a play date at a pumpkin patch with my mom's group, only to get there and not be able to find anyone. It's a new group, so I didn't have any phone numbers. No worries though, I'm at a pumpkin patch on a beautiful sunny fall day! I'll just let the boys out to play! What a terrible idea. I lasted literally about 3.5 minutes before I realized that it was too much for one person - - open area, 8 million kids running around, and my boys running in opposite directions. I decided it was better to go home and be bored than to come home with 0 or 1 babies. So I decided I would redeem the morning by getting a Coke Zero. I went to multiple drive thrus, only to find Diet Coke, which wasn't gonna cut it. Finally ended up at 7-11, got everyone out and into the stroller, and got a Big Gulp of Coke Zero. Best Coke Zero I have ever tasted - they do something special to their fountain drinks there. Got home, got Price out of the car, and as we're walking in he knocks it out of my hand. Coke Zero all over the sidewalk. Total bust. Not the worst day, but definitely not the best. And to be honest it's hard to truly understand until you have two 14 month olds at the same time. Just the sheer effort and manpower it takes to get them dressed, into their car seats, out of their car seats, and into the stroller is too much sometimes. Or maybe annoying is a better word. Two kids in rear facing car seats is annoying.
Anyway, I am enjoying the rest of my afternoon with this butternut squash soup.  So simple and so quick. I roasted my squash for that extra roasted flavor, but you could easily just microwave it to save some time. I love getting the cubed butternut squash in a bag from Trader Joe's, because it makes this recipe just ridiculously easy.
Recipe

• ~2 cups chopped butternut squash (I love the Trader Joe's pre-cut bag)
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• olive oil
• 1 1/4 cup chicken broth (full sodium)
• 1 tablespoon half & half
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• Pinch nutmeg

Roast the butternut squash on a baking dish at 400 for about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the onion in a pinch of olive oil.  Add the chicken broth to heat. Then, transfer the cooked squash and broth mixture to a food processor or combine it in the pan and puree with an immersion blender. Transfer back to the soup pot. Stir in the half & half, syrup and nutmeg. A little bit of salty Feta cheese goes great on top of this.