Potato & Leek Soup with Butternut Squash!

I had this soup earlier this week at a professors house. It was so delicious I had to ask for the recipe. She hasn't sent it yet, but I couldn't wait any longer. I had potatoes, leeks, and butternut squash and they weren't getting any younger. So I went at it myself, no recipe. I thought I would need a lot of cream and whatnot to reach the level of deliciousness experiences at my professors house, but before I even got that far, it was amazed at how tasty my own version was. Maybe it was the homemade stock, maybe it was the extra amount of leeks that I cooked until they were sweet. Whatever the reason, I couldn't stop eating this straight from the pot. I got so full just standing there. I cooked the squash a few days before, cut in half, seeds scooped, face down in about an inch of water. I saved the water - poured it right into the storage container with the squash.

10 medium leeks, white and light green only, sliced thin
6-10 fist sized white potatoes, baked and skins peeled and cut up
2 medium-large butternut squash
3 cups stock, vegetable or poultry
3 cups water or more stock/broth
salt and pepper to taste

Melt one tablespoon of margarine in a big pot. Add two tablespoons of oil. Add leeks and sprinkle with salt. Stir until soft. Add stock and potatoes and stir. Add cooked squash. Stir. Spoon the contents of the pot into your blender in as many shifts as necessary. Add as much water to the blender as you need to keep it moving. Return blended soup to pot and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, season, reduce heat or turn off. It's ready to go.

Taste what you have. I thought it was delicious without more salt and pepper, but of course delicious with some added. Add more squash if you like. I had some baby spinach that was on its way out, so I threw it into the blender raw with the other stuff and my soup was a beautiful green color. The spinach was barely cooked and you couldn't taste it. I felt even healthier.

I ate this with some delicious Italian bread from Tops.