Squash, Cider, and Apple Soup Recipe

Directions:

1. Melt the margarine in a medium-size pot or large saucepan over moderate heat.
2. Stir in the onion, cover, and sweat for 10 minutes.
3. Add the squash, apples, stock, salt, and bay leaf to the pot.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to moderately low, cover, and simmer the soup until the squash and apples are very soft, about 20 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat.
6. As the soup simmers, pour the cider into a medium-size skillet, bring to a boil, and reduce to 4 or 5 tablespoons; you don't have to be too precise about it.
7. Remove from the heat.
8. Remove the bay leaf from the soup, then spoon the solids into a food processor.
9. Process the mixture until smooth, then stir it back into the broth.
10. Add the reduced cider.
11. Reheat the soup, stirring in the brown sugar and spices.
12. Serve piping hot.