Golden Soup (from Mirror)

Reina may have been wandering through a snowy forest for days before getting to enjoy this creamy soup, but you're welcome to have it any time!

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Ingredients:
1 butternut squash (halved & seeds removed)
2 medium russet potatoes (peeled & chunked)
1 medium yellow onion (halved)
1/2 tsp salt & onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper, paprika, & garlic powder
1/8 tsp ginger

​2 c chicken stock
 3/4 c half & half
2 bay leaves
To taste:
olive oil, nutmeg, additional salt & pepper

Process:
​Place the squash, potatoes, and onion in a glass roasting pan. Drizzle generously with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, onion powder, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, ginger, and nutmeg. Pour about half a cup of water in the bottom of the pan and cover. Bake at 375 F for around an hour, or until the squash and potatoes are soft enough to smush with a spoon.
Once everything is soft, let it cool before scooping out the insides of the squash (or, you could be like me and scald off all your fingerprints because you didn't wait... but that's not recommended). Blend the squash, potatoes, onion, chicken stock, and about 1/2 a cup of water. I used an immersion blender, but you can also use a regular blender and transfer it to a pot after. Some of the onion bits will likely be stubborn and refuse to blend smoothly, so you can just remove any stringy bits.
Once the mixture is smooth, add the half & half, bay leaves, and salt and pepper to taste. Let the soup cook on low heat until it's hot and all the flavors have had time to become friends.
Best served with Nakia's herbed bread!
The Inspiration:
Reina sat at the rustic wood table, enjoying a creamy golden soup paired with salty, herbed bread. It was simple food, the kind of meal Nerine scoffed at “commoners” for eating. But it was heavenly to Reina. It was warm and flavorful and comforting, and, for the first time in years, Reina felt completely safe. She wondered if she could stay in this isolated haven forever.
“You seem thoughtful.” Galena’s soft, lyrical voice broke through Reina’s thoughts.
“I…” Reina hesitated. She still hadn’t told them much about who she was. “I was just wondering how long I’ll be able to stay here.”
Nakia reached out to place a gentle hand on her wrist. “We call it a ‘sanctuary’ for good reason,” she said. “You’re welcome as long as you want to be here.”
Reina allowed a small, grateful smile, and they continued their meal in silence. The window in the dining room was open to allow Doran and Ziva to join the group for dinner. The centaur and griffin ate from the windowsill while everyone else ate at the table. Mico perched on a stool next to Nakia and stole extra morsels of food from her plate any time she wasn’t looking. It felt good. Like home and family.