Yield

6 cups

Ingredients

• 2 butternut squash (about 4 3/4 pounds total), halved lengthwise, seeded
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups thinly sliced onion (approx. 2 medium onions)
• 1 tablespoon golden brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 5 cups (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth
• Chopped fresh parsley, bacon, chopped chicken breast and sour cream (to top)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Oil baking sheet. Place squash, cut side down, on baking sheet. Bake until squash is very soft, about 50 minutes. Using paring knife, remove peel from squash; discard peel. Cut squash into 2-inch pieces. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-low heat. Mix in onion, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and cinnamon. Cover pot and cook until onion is tender, about 15 minutes. Add squash and 5 cups chicken broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Discard cinnamon.

Working in batches, purée soup in blender. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate.) Return soup to pot. Season soup with salt and pepper. Bring to simmer, thinning soup with more broth if necessary. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with parsley, bacon, chicken and sour cream and serve.

Ingredients

• 4 cups (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth
• 1 pound beets, peeled, chopped
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup peeled chopped carrot
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried dillweed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives of green onions
• Sour cream

Directions

Combine 4 cups broth, beets, onions, carrot and garlic in medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 35 minutes. Cool slightly. Puree in blender in batches until smooth. (Jane prefers it unblended). Transfer to bowl. Thin with additional broth if soup is too thick. Mix in sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.) This may be served cold. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with dill and chives. Top with sour cream.

Yield

2 cups

Ingredients

• 3 cups split peas (1 package)
• 6 cups of water or broth
• 1 yellow onion
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 carrot (optional)
• 1 ham bone, several turkey bones (with meat attached), or smoked sausage
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and whole peppercorns
• chopped parsley for garnish

Directions

If using bones, just cover them in a large pot with water. Bring to boil and pour off the water. Then cover the bones again with water and/or broth, add 1 onion whole, bay leafs, peppercorns, salt, carrot, celery. Bring to boil and let simmer for an hour. Strain the broth into a pot, discard the rest of the ingredients and pick off and reserve any meat from the bones. Wash and drain the peas. Finely dice the remaining half onion and add it to the broth with the washed peas. Bring to boil and let simmer 1-2 hours until peas get mushy. If using sausage, cut and fry the sausage in a separate pan and add to the soup. Add the parsely as a garnish.