Roasted Butternut Squash & Bacon Soup

To roast:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
• Place butternut squash mixture on prepared baking sheet and roast in the oven 25-30 minutes until squash is tender.
• Remove from oven and set aside.

To cook:

• Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until browned and crispy. Remove and set aside.
• Add the roasted butternut squash mixture and fresh thyme, cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add chicken stock and bring  to a simmer. Once simmering, remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth.
• Place back on stovetop and bring to boil until soup begins to thicken (5-8 minutes). If soup is to thick add additional chicken stock until you reach desired consistency.
• Serve and garnish with bacon, goat cheese and chive/scallions.

Recipe created by Hatfield’s executive chef, Chef Jen