It was a rainy, cold day. Even the dog didn’t want to go out. I told the kids at breakfast that I was making soup for dinner. I got some eye rolls, but those are so commonplace these days that I took no notice. It irks my family when I talk about dinner at breakfast. It’s not unusual for me ask what my little people want for dinner while they are slurping the morning’s oatmeal. It’s not that I’m a planner. I just like food.
My Papa Spud’s produce delivery arrived last week, and the butternut squash has been eying me. I love butternut squash, but my sons don’t, so I don’t order it very often. I always end up roasting it with garlic and sage, and it was time for a change. I did still roast the squash, mind you. But that’s because roasted butternut squash is simply delectable. I turned that roasted goodness into soup.
And my kids devoured it.
1 roasted butternut squash, flesh scooped out and reserved
drizzle of olive oil
3 thick slices of bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon thyme
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Heat the oil in the pan on medium and add the chopped bacon. Cook until bacon is crispy, remove and drain on a paper towel. Wipe out bacon grease, leaving just a tish. Add onion and garlic. Saute until onion is almost caramelized. Add thyme and roasted squash. Give it a good stir. Add the chicken broth and stir. Turn heat to low and simmer an hour. Puree with an immersion blender. You’ll get a thick, creamy soup without the cream.
Pour into bowls and top with the bacon, a few goat cheese crumbles, and homemade croutons.
My kids were heavy handed with the goat cheese, and stirred it in until it melted in a marbled pattern. Sometimes playing with your food is OK. Let’s just say that I was banking on leftovers for lunch tomorrow, and there’s hardly a cupful left. I think I’m going to add butternut squash to my regular Papa Spud’s order.