Soups

Ingredients

1 can (49 oz) chicken broth
2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup Food You Feel Good About Fresh-Cut Chopped Onions
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
3/4 cup Italian Classics Orzo Soup Pasta
1 pkg (20 oz) Martin Farms Fresh Cut Butternut Squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice

Directions

1. Heat oil in a soup pot. Add garlic, onion and squash; cook on MEDIUM-LOWFOR 5 min., stirring often.

2. Add chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until squash is soft, 10-15 min.

3. Add orzo; cook until tender, about 6 min.

4. Stir in parsley; serve.

5. Option: Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top of each serving.

Nutrition Info

Amount Per Serving - Calories 140, Total Fat 4g, Sat. Fat 1g, Cholesterol 0mg,Sodium 990mg, Carbohydrates 20g, Diet. Fiber 3g

Most soup recipes calling for pumpkin or various kinds of squash require you to peel and chop the squash before sauteing and simmering it. This can be quite a chore because a 3- or 4-pound squash is no easy vegetable to saw into. Here is a delicious soup that lets you gently slice open the squash after it is roasted to softness. The roasting gives it an added dimension of flavor as well.

Serves 4-6.

1 large butternut squash
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 and 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup half and half

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prick the squash in several places with a fork. Place on a cookie sheet in the middle rack of the oven, then bake for approximately 40 minutes or until you can tell it is soft enough to cut easily. Remove from the oven and let cool. Cut in half, lengthwise, then scoop the seeds from the two centers. Scoop the flesh out of the skin. Discard skin and seeds.

In a large, heavy pan, saute the onion in the oil until golden. Add the garlic, cumin powder, sugar, vinegar, and cayenne pepper, and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Add the chicken stock, followed by the squash flesh. Bring just to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Working in small batches, transfer the soup to a food processor and blend until smooth. Return the soup to the pan, stir in the half and half, and return it just to a simmer. Season it with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with sour cream.