I don't know why it took me so very long, but I only recently discovered that I don't have to peel a pumpkin or a squash when making soup.   This discovery has changed my life.... well OK not my life, but my soup making habits certainly!
Here is our current favourite, and by favourite I mean I have made this soup every week for the past month and a half!  Butternut squash and celeriac or branch celery ( or both!)
Recipes do not come any easier than this   .....
Wash the butternut squash and cut off the top and bottom.   Cut in quarters lengthwise then scoop out the few seeds and surrounding filaments.  Chop the squash into large cubes   Peel an onion and a garlic clove, chop.   Wash a couple of celery branches, chop into small pieces.  If using the celeriac then peel, and chop into cubes.  You are looking overall for more squash than celery, so adapt quantities accordingly.
Drop the vegetables into a saucepan with a knob of butter and let everything cook gently for about ten minutes.  Now add a bayleaf, some chopped parsley, then cover the vegetables with hot chicken stock, or if you prefer then just hot water.  Salt and pepper.

Cook for about 25 minutes until everything is thoroughly soft.  Remove the bayleaf, mix in a blender, add some milk if it is too thick and adjust the seasoning.
I like to serve bowls of this soup with a single sage leaf lying on the top, just because the grey gree...