Roasted Butternut Squash Bacon Soup

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
8 slices bacon, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
2 tablespoons chopped chives

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Line a cookie sheet or other large baking dish with parchment paper.

3. Place butternut squash, onion, bell pepper, minced garlic, and 4 pieces of bacon in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss to combine.

4. Place on parchment paper-lined pan and place in oven; bake for 25-30 minutes or until butternut squash is tender, stirring once throughout.

5. While squash mixture is baking, prepare the remaining soup ingredients. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat, cook remaining 4 slices of bacon until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

6. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, add cooked butternut squash mixture, thyme and chicken stock, stirring occasionally until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

7. Use an immersion blender or heavy-duty blender to puree until smooth.

8. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5-10 minutes. If soup is too thick, add more chicken stock as needed until the desired consistency is reached.

9. Serve warm and garnish with crumbled bacon, goat cheese and chives, if desired.

Serves 6