
Mmmmm.... bacon infused.... it's really good!
1 Lg Butternut Squash
Olive oil cooking spray
1 Tbsp EV Olive oil
1 Sm Onion, chopped
1 Tsp Garlic, minced
6-8 Slices Turkey Bacon (reduced sodium)
1 Ham Steak (8oz - 1Lb depending on how much you want in there), cubed *NOTE: you can also substitute with chopped/shredded chicken or turkey.
2 Cans Chicken broth (reduced sodium)
1 Tbsp Smart Balance Butter (or I can't believe it's not butter)
2-3 C Water
1 Tbsp Garlic powder
2 Tsp Onion powder
1/8 Tsp Cayenne pepper
Dash or 2 Ground cumin
1 Tbsp Parsley, dried
Salt & fresh ground pepper
1/4 C Shredded cheese (for garnish)
You can do the butternut squash step and the bacon step at the same time and before hand.
Preheat oven to 400ยบ. Cut butternut squash in half (or in 4ths length-wise if you have a fairly large one). Place on non-stick foil on a rack and spray both sides liberally with olive oil. Bake for 20-40 minutes, until you are able to pierce with a fork easily. Once butternut squash is done, remove from oven, let sit until cool enough to peel off skin. Cut into chunks.
While butternut squash is cooking. Heat a pan and cook your bacon. Remove bacon from pan, and set aside on paper towels. Reducing the heat on the pan to low, add 1/2 can of broth and deglaze for a few minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan with a spoon to get all the bacon bits that stuck to the pan mixed into the broth. Set aside.
Once you have your butternut squash and bacon ready to go, heat tbsp of olive oil in a large pot on med-high. Add onions, garlic, ham, and break your bacon (I only used 4 of the slices, but you can add more if you like and no one in your household has gobbled it up) up into the pot. Saute until onions are soft. Add butter. Saute more until butter has melted. Take the broth/bacon grease mixture and add to the pot, then add the rest of the broth, water, and butternut squash, bring to a boil. Stir, then add in seasonings (and adjust as necessary to taste) and parsley. Continue to simmer, stirring frequently, and while stirring smash the butternut squash against the side of the pot with the spoon. Cook in this manner until soup has thickened and most of the butternut squash has melted (though I like to leave a few chunks).























