Looking at the striped squash, it reminded me of a piece of a holiday cornucopia . I always wonder if those center pieces were really edible. So, now I know. Bon Appetit

• Bunch of scallions
• 1 large delicata squash
• 4 strips of bacon, cook until crispy and then chop into strips
• 4 cups stock
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• Salt to taste
• 3 large apples (I used Fuji)
• 3 teaspoons fresh thyme
• Olive oil
• 1 cup milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon of Pike Place Herb ‘n Farm
• 1 half of a jalapeno
• 1 bell pepper
• 2 carrots (you don’t have to spiral them, mine were left over from a salad)
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Cut squash in half; discard seeds. Place squash cut side down in a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan, coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 40-50 minutes or until tender. Place one sliced apple, red  bell pepper, onions, jalapeno and garlic on baking pan and roast. Once roasted, place in bowl with lid and let steam for five minutes, and the skin will remove like magic. Remove roasted apple, red pepper, onions, jalapeno, and garlic give a quick pulse in a food processor. Add to Dutch oven, sauté in oil until tender with a second sliced apple. Place the squash flesh (removed from skin) into a food processor with roasted apple and puree until smooth. Add to Dutch oven along with the chicken stock and spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Add milk. Purée the soup either with a hand-held immersion blender or conventional blender. Garnish with bacon and apple slices.

VERDICT : This was a crowd pleasure. I watched more than one person scrape their bowl clean with apple slices. It, however, wouldn’t be my first pick among the squash family as it’s a bit stinky, but can be happily masked by apples or a roasted red bell pepper.