Kale and Butternut Squash Chowder

Tim and I visited a spice shop a few weeks ago and he wanted to buy whole nutmeg and a micro plane.    I have never used either, but now that I have I am sold on both.  The fresh ground nutmeg gives this chowder a nice depth of flavor.

Next time I think we are going to try sausage instead of bacon.  

Ingredients

at least 4 oz of bacon

1 onion finally chopped

1 tablespoon garlic minced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 ground nutmeg

1/3 cup all purpose flour

4 cups chicken broth

3 cups vegetable broth 

3 pounds butternut squash peeled, seeded and chopped (about 1/2 inch pieces) 

2 bay leaves 

1 tsp olive oil

6 oz of kale 

1/2 cup heavy cream 

1/2 teaspoon dried sage 

1 teaspoon brown sugar

In a large skillet cook bacon until crisp.  Remove from pan and let drain on paper towels.  In the same skillet stir in onion, garlic, thyme and nutmeg.  Cook until onions begin to soften and begin to turn lightly brown.  Stir in flour and cook for about 1 minute.  Whisk in 2 cups chicken broth.  Chop up bacon and stir into mixture.  Note:  I did this step the night before I was making the soup and refrigerated it.  

Add above mixture into slow cooker.  Stir in an additional 2 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth and half of the the butternut squash, and the bay leaves.  Place the remaining squash in a foil packet and season with oil, and salt and pepper.  Place the Foil packet on top of the soup.  Cover and cook for 6 to 8 hours on low.  

Remove foil packet and stir in Kale, and cook for an additional 30 minutes.  Add Squash from foil packet back to the slow cooker and stir in cream, sage, and sugar.  Taste, add additional salt, pepper, nutmeg as needed.  

I served with garlic cheese croutons, or Texas Parmesan toast.  Tim added Parmesan cheese on his.