My MIL's Butternut Squash Soup

My mother in law came out for a visit recently and offered to whip up some butternut squash soup.  Here's her quick and easy recipe for a soup that tastes like it took hours to prepare but can be made in less than 1 hour.

The Soup

2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
2 gala red apples, cored and chopped
6 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup heavy cream (can subsitute with half and half)
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Place chopped squash, onions and apples into a large roasting pan that has been lightly coated with olive oil.  Drizzle the chopped mixture with 2 tbs of olive oil and season with kosher salt and black pepper.  Roast in oven for 45 minutes or until the squash and apples are tender and lightly caramelized. 

In large stock pot, bring chicken stock to a simmer along with a bay leaf.  Place the roasted mixture in a blender and puree.  Place puree into stock pot, stirring to combine, and simmer soup for 10 minutes.  Slowly stir in cream until heated through and season soup with nutmeg, salt and pepper.  This soup tastes even better when served with a dollop of creme fraiche or sour cream.