Butternut Squash White Bean Soup

So when we were kids, we hated squash so much that it became the "safe word" in our family.  You know, the word that a stranger is supposed to know if they show up and say they're supposed to pick you up from school?  Ours was "squash."  My dad loved it, and my mom didn't hate it like she did peas (she NEVER made them - woohoo!), so each fall we'd have a few meals where the dreaded acorn squash halves appeared on the table.  I still haven't fully embraced acorn (though, to be fair, I'm not even trying it in anything), but I've become a fan of recipes containing butternut, delicata, and a couple other varieties of this fall staple.  Maybe it was the plastic-wrap-covered-and-microwaved-with-no-salt-or-butter preparation...maybe it was because I was a kid...maybe it was both.  But either way, I'm glad to discover that there are amazing flavors to combine with these workhorse gourds and I'm glad I'm a big girl now and have to eat them!

Here's one from Cooking Light that I tried and loved.  It's a regular in the fall now.

3 bacon slices (I mean, how can it NOT be good when it starts with bacon???)
1 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups (3/4-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup whipping cream (I have used fat-free evaporated milk instead)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons unsalted pumpkinseed kernels, toasted (never seem to have these)
Preparation

Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons of drippings in pan; crumble the bacon, and set aside.
Add onion, celery, and garlic to pan; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add squash; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine; cook until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in broth, cumin, red pepper, cinnamon, and cloves; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until squash is tender. Stir in cream, oregano, salt, black pepper, and beans; bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Sprinkle each serving with bacon and pumpkinseeds.

Judy Lockhart, Cooking Light
OCTOBER 2004
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/butternut-squash-white-bean-soup-10000000701134/