Butternut Squash and Ham Bisque

Butternut Squash and Ham Bisque

I got this recipe from a Family Fun Magazine many years ago and make it every fall! It's delicious and warm on those cold nights!

Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 very large sweet onion, chopped
½ teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups peeled, diced butternut squash
1 cup peeled, diced all-purpose potatoes
5 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper, to taste
½ cup light or heavy cream
1½ cups diced cooked ham

Instructions
Melt the butter in a medium soup pot or a large saucepan. Stir in the onion and rosemary. Partially cover the pan and cook the onion over moderate heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and cook another minute.

Add the squash*, potatoes, chicken stock, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover the pot. Cook the soup at a low boil for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are very soft. Remove the pan from the heat.

With a potato masher; mash up the vegetables until they are a nice creamy consistency. Stir in the pepper, the cream, and the ham, and heat for several minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.