Soup 28: Fall Brodo with Acorn Squash

Still a little behind on my soup blogging since I made this months ago, but this soup can be made all winter long.  This recipe was appealing because of the all the awesome garnishes. Bacon. Cheese. Need I say more?
The recipe stressed a high quality broth, so I jazzed up the canned stuff.  I let 6 cups broth simmer with celery, carrots, onion, parsley and thyme for half an hour.

Short-cut chicken broth

While that simmered, I prepared the veggies for the soup.  I halved the acorn squash, cleaned out the seeds and peeled and cubed the squash.  I then chopped the chard, discarding the stalks.  So far, easy!

Acorn squash

And then my favorite part.  I cooked the bacon until crispy, and set aside the bacon for garnish.  I used a bit of the bacon grease to saute the chopped onions until browned.  I then added the stock and squash and pasta and simmered until tender, about 15 minutes.  A note about the pasta, I used mini bow tie pasta, and it worked perfectly.  I wanted the veggies to play a larger part in this soup than the pasta, but the regular size would work fine too if that is what you have in your pantry.  The last step was to add the chard and cook for 1 or 2 minutes more.  Oh, and season with salt and pepper, of course.

Serve immediately with crumbled bacon and Parmesan cheese

This soup was a great winter meal.  It was hearty and satisfying and was a great combo of flavors.  Savory bacon and cheese with bitter chard and the sweetness of the squash.  Yummy.  The ingredients were quite affordable, too.   My only complaint is that the soup really should be served and eaten immediately and makes only for so-so left overs.  The pasta and squash really absorbed the liquid and became quite overcooked after reheating.  The taste was still good, albeit a smidge bitter from the chard, so I still had the leftovers for my lunch, but overall, this was much more enjoyable right out of the pot.

1 1/2 pound acorn squash / farmer's market / $3.00
1 bunch Swiss chard / farmer's market / $2.00
6 slices bacon / Safeway / $3.69
1 cups chopped onion / from home
8 cups chicken broth / Smart & Final / $2.49
1 cup bow tie pasts / Safeway / $2.49 (mini bow tie works best)
salt / from home
cayenne pepper / from home
1/2 Parmesan cheese / from home


Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 min
Servings: 6
Taste: 4 stars
Prep: easy
Cost: $13.67 ($2.28 per serving)

SOUPER BOWL!

I wish I could take credit for this.

If you love soup as much as me, please join Grantland on Facebook for the Souperbowl.  32 soups go head to head to find out which is the best!  There are just a few days left if you would like to cast your vote.

Can you guess what I chose on Day 4 between:

Ramen & Lobster Bisque

French Onion & Wonton

Tortilla & Hot & Sour

Clam Chowder & Chicken Noodle