A Wine Country Feast with Butternut Squash White Bean Soup

Butternut Squash White Bean Soup 

Welcome back to this months Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club where we continue our celebration of delicious food on the "lighter" side. We always appreciate you joining us for this event where we get together on the first Wednesday of every month to create a delicious meal from appetizers to dessert with a theme in mind. Ultimately our love of food, blogging and our commitment to a health conscious lifestyle is what has brought us all together.

Moving on to its 5th year this is a team effort where we continue to share a love for healthy eating and living. The faces may have changed since our groups birth in 2009 but we have always had a love for Cooking Light magazine with its emphasis on healthy eating and living. We look forward each month to strengthening our bonds, and enjoying each others company virtually. The party goes on for days!!

With Jerry off to California Wine Country and the Okanagan Wine Festival in full swing Jerry's theme 'A Wine Country Feast' for this months supper club is very appropriate. When would I not enjoy cooking with wine, and I might actually use a little in my dish;-)

Let's see what we brought to the table…..

Sandi of Whistlestop Cafe Cooking starts us off with tempting Chardonnay Garlic Shrimp and Asparagus.
I brought the first course with a delightfully flavourful  Butternut Squash White Bean Soup. A  little wine adds subtle flavour. Is that bacon on the side;-)
Jerry of A Life, Lived brings us the piece de resistance with a Roasted Breast of Chicken with Pinot Noir Sauce. 
Susan of  The Spice Garden pairs our main dish beautifully with a Creamy Pumpkin and Sage Polenta.
Shelby of The Life and Loves of Grumpys Honeybunch rounds it all out with a refreshing Honey Crisp Apple Sangria.  
Sarah of All Our Fingers in the Pie ends our menu with a bang with Stilton Stuffed Baked Pears.

On to the recipe from Cooking Light...

**Butternut Squash White Bean Soup** 

3 bacon slices
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 (I used 1 teaspoon garam masala in place of all of the spices)
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup whipping cream
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 (I used 1 15-oz can cannellini beans)
3 tablespoons unsalted pumpkinseed kernels, toasted

Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan, reserving 2 teaspoons of drippings in pan; crumble the bacon, and set aside.

To the drippings in pan add onion and celery; sauté 2 minutes or until tender and stirring occasionally; add garlic and sauté for another minute. To this add the squash cubes; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine; cook until liquid is reduced. Stir in broth, cumin, red pepper, cinnamon, and cloves ( I used garam masala instead of the other combination of spices).

Bring soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 5 - 10 minutes or until the squash is tender. Stir in cream, fresh oregano, salt (if using, depending on the saltiness of your stock), black pepper, and beans; bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Sprinkle each serving with bacon, a little thyme, and pumpkinseeds.

Judy Lockhart, Cooking Light
OCTOBER 2004

NOTE: I like my soup a little creamier so blitzed it with my immersion blender for s smoother texture, while still leaving some hints for texture. This meant I added the beans after doing so).

Is that bacon on the side?

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