Butternut Squash Soup

This makes a nice pot of soup - probably enough for 6 ish - or 2 and left overs for days or you can freeze it for a cold winters day!

Ingredients:
1/2 stick to a stick of butter
2 medium to large onions
3 butternut squash
5-6 cups of chicken stock
1/4 pint heavy cream ( the smallest one they make - not sure of exact size)
nutmeg, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste
5 slices of bacon - more if you like
scallions chopped
sour cream

Directions: Slice Butternut Squash long ways, brush with melted butter and cook face down on cookie sheets covered in foil - I would say 325-350 for probably an hour to hour 1/2 or until completely soft inside.

About an hour in - fry bacon in a pan and set aside on a plate with paper towel.
Chop onions really fine in a food processor, melt butter in a big soup pan and sautee onions until translucent....probably about 10 minutes. When squash are done, scoop out squash and put in soup pan with onions and you can add the chicken stock at this point too. Make sure that the peel of the squash gets thrown away. Simmer for a little while - until hot - and then you can do the next step in one of 2-3 ways....you can pour contents in a separate bowl and spoon into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth and put back in original pan OR you can get a hand/soup blender (about $30 at BBB) and blend right in the pot - either way your goal is to have a smooth soup - at this point I blend in a small 1/4 pint of heavy cream - the smallest it comes in for color and texture. I add nutmeg probably 1-2 tsp, salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder and I let simmer.

When it tastes good to you - plate and garnish with the bacon, scallions and a tsp of sour cream....if you are really fancy you can drop some white truffle oil in a circle to finish

DELISH!

Baked Potato Soup

Instead of green onions I sauteed a yellow onion and 2 cloves of garlic in the pan I fried the bacon in and I substitued 3.5 cups of chicken stock for 3.5 cups of milk (calls for 7 cups of milk - I split in half with chicken stock) also I didn't have cheddar so I used asiago

PREP TIME 15 Min COOK TIME 25 Min READY IN 40 Min SERVINGS (Help) Servings US METRIC

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
12 slices bacon (I used bacon AND Pancetta)
2/3 cup margarine (I used butter)
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
7 cups milk (3.5 cups of milk and 3.5 cups of chicken stock i used)
4 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed (i used red potatoes, probably about 8, peeled 6 of them and boiled them while I was frying the bacon and sauteeing the onions)
4 green onions, chopped (I used a yellow onion chooped in a food processor and sauteed in the bacon with 2 cloves of garlic) - But I used scallions to garnish
1 1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (I used grated Asiago - you can use whatever cheese you fancy)
1 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper (I added some red pepper flakes for a kick)
DIRECTIONSPlace bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain, crumble, and set aside. In a stock pot or Dutch oven, melt the margarine over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk, whisking constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes and onions. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Mix in bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted.

Garnish with bacon, scallions, grated cheese and sour cream - and it's even better the next day!