Pumpkin/Squash Soup

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I accidentally came up with a new way of cooking pumpkin one day when I just didn’t feel like cleaning the bacon pan. Nearly every morning my husband cooks breakfast that includes bacon. We typically just jar up the fat and use it to fry with, but on that particular day, it just laid there in the cookie sheet, and all I could think about was finding a way to avoid washing another dish before I began making dinner.

I decided to forego my usual method of baking squash flesh side down in water, and instead placed the squash flesh side down in bacon fat. You. Must. Do. This. The result was a caramelized and sweet-tasting flesh that lends itself well to soup but also to muffins and donuts. So without further ado, here is my new favorite Pumpkin/Squash Soup recipe.

Ingredients

• 5 Tbsp bacon fat or coconut oil 
• 1/2 large pumpkin or 2 medium-sized butternut squash, halved and seeded
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped and left to rest for 10 minutes
• 1.5 tsp curry powder (or to taste)
• 1 tsp unrefined sea salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 6 cups broth or water
• Optional: pumpkin seeds, feta cheese, chili powder for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt 4 Tbsp bacon fat or coconut oil in cookie sheet.
2. Place pumpkin/squash flesh side down on cookie sheet. Bake pumpkin/squash for 1 hour or until fork can easily pierce the skin.
3. Melt 1 Tbsp bacon fat or coconut oil in 4-quart soup pot. Add onion and saute until soft. Add chopped garlic. 
4. Scoop baked pumpkin/squash into pot and cover with broth or water. Use an immersion blender to combine all ingredients.
5. Add curry powder, salt and pepper, and stir. Allow flavors to combine for at least 15 minutes. 

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