Creamy Winter Squash and Apple Soup

– from the kitchen of the Soy Sistas: Amanda Pudlik (’11 culinary science), Elise Fiscus (senior, culinary science), and Cassie Miller (’11 culinary science)

Ingredients:

7 slices bacon

2 carrots, diced

2 ribs of celery, diced

1 large red onion, diced

2 Granny Smith apples, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 package Birds Eye frozen cooked winter squash (defrosted)

2 1/2 cups canned chicken broth

1 fresh lime, juiced

½ teaspoon white pepper

¼ teaspoon ground clove

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground curry powder

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 ½ cup plain soy milk

1 ½ tablespoon honey

Salt to taste

Directions:

Cook bacon in large soup pot until crispy.  Remove bacon and set aside to drain. Discard bacon grease, reserving 2 tablespoons in the pot. Crumble bacon when cool.  Add onions and carrots to soup pot. Sauté for approximately five minutes over medium heat until onions are soft. Add celery and apple and sauté for another five minutes. Add garlic and sauté very briefly, approximately one minute.  Add squash and chicken broth. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat again and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes until carrots are tender.  If you have an immersion blender, process the mixture in the pot until smooth. If not, carefully process the mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return mixture to pot.  Stir in lime juice and soy milk. Add all remaining ingredients (spices) and five pieces of reserved crumbled bacon. Simmer for an additional ten minutes until thickened. (Do not boil!)