Butternut Squash Soup
  with Pears and Bacon

6 strips maple bacon

1 sm. onion chopped

1 lg. or 2 sm. Butternut squash

2 lg. Bartlett Pears, peeled, cored and cubed.

1 lg. stalk celery, chopped

2 (14 oz.) cans of Swanson's Natural Goodness Chicken Broth

½ tsp. thyme

½ tsp. basil

½ cup half-and-half

Chopped fresh thyme.

    Sauté bacon in a large sauce pan until crisp. Remove from pan, drain and crumble.  Remove all but 1 Tbs. bacon grease from pot, add onion and sauté until browned.

    Peel squash, cut in half and cut into cubes (about 4 cups)

Add squash, pears, celery and broth to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool and place in blender and puree until smooth.

    Return to pot, add bacon and herbs and simmer for 10 more minutes.  Stir in half-and half and its ready to ladle into bowls and sprinkle with fresh thyme.