I’ve included this recipe with the side dishes because it makes a great accompaniment to a meat entrйe.

Squash Soup

vegetable or olive oil

2 small acorn squash, halved and seeded

1  onion, diced

2 parsnips, diced 2 celery stalks, diced small 2 cups clear vegetable broth 2 cups chicken broth

2 teaspoons butter

ј teaspoon cayenne pepper

ј teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup milk

2 to 3 teaspoons salt Ѕ to 1 teaspoon white pepper

Croutons

4 slices stale bread, cubed 4 tablespoons (Ѕ stick) butter, melted ј teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of salt and white pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To make soup, rub oil on inside of squash halves and lay face down on baking sheet. Bake until fork-tender and can easily be peeled, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool and cut into 2-inch chunks. In medium saucepan, bring squash, onion, parsnips, celery, and vegetable and chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Strain the soup and reserve the liquid. In a food processor, puree the solids with 1 cup of the reserved liquid.

In medium saucepan, warm butter over low heat. Stir in cayenne pepper and cinnamon, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the puree and 1 cup of the reserved liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in milk, salt, and pepper. If you prefer thinner soup, add more of the reserved liquid.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. To make croutons, combine ingredients in a bowl and toss until butter is absorbed and spices completely coat the bread. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 25 minutes, tossing often to ensure proper browning and crispness. Serve soup topped with croutons.

Yield: 4 servings