Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter

3 Granny Smith apples, cored, diced

1 each, peeled, chopped: large butternut squash, carrot

1 each, chopped: celery rib, onion

3 cans (15 ounces each) chicken broth

1 cup apple cider

1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon each: ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

Sour cream, apple slices, optional

Directions: Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat; add the apples, squash, carrot, celery and onion. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 20 minutes. Add broth; cook until squash is soft, about 30 minutes. Stir in the cider, brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon; cool 1 hour. Puree soup in batches in a blender or food processor. Pour soup back into the Dutch oven; season with salt and pepper to taste. (If needed, thin soup with a little more cider.) Heat until hot. Pour into bowls; garnish with sour cream and apple slices. Serves 8. Adapted by McClatchy Newspapers from a recipe by Erwin Dreschler of Erwin Cafe, Chicago.