Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

½ pound thick-sliced uncured bacon, cut into ¼ inch strips (Stacking 3 or 4 cold slices before cutting makes this go quickly.)
2 pounds fresh butternut squash, cut into large chunks
1 green apple, peeled, cored and chopped
3 or 4 large, fresh sage leaves
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Directions:

Cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp.

Remove bacon from pot. Add squash and allow to cook without stirring until lightly browned. Add apple, sage and seasoning and cook for about 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

Add the broth and stir well, incorporating the browned bits on the bottom into the liquid. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until squash is very soft, 6 to 8 minutes more.

Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Add about half of the bacon to the soup and puree in a blender in batches or with an immersion blender in the pot. Reheat soup and adjust seasoning.

Garnish each serving with the remaining bacon.