Wonderful as a stand alone dish or a the soup course in a larger meal. It is simple & easy to make and can be frozen, thawed and gently reheated. Any squash will work other than spaghetti squash. In a 6 qt pot saute 4 strips of diced bacon until crisp; drain and set aside. Saute 3/4 cup diced celery & 1 cup diced onion until soft. Add 2 pounds peeled, seeded and chunked squash, 2 cloves minced garlic, 10 cooked & chopped chestnuts, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper and cook, stirring to coal all ingredients for 5 minutes. Add 3 1/2 to 4 cups chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash is very soft (about 20-30 minutes). Using a potato masher or spoon to break up larger pieces of squash & chestnuts. Serve with topping of fresh grated Parmesan cheese and diced parsley.
