Pumpkin Potato Soup

Ingredients:

1 5 - 8 lb pumpkin
2 large baking potatoes
2 large sweet potatoes
1 med. onion, diced
8 - 10 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
Vegetable or chicken stock
butter
salt and pepper

Cooking Instructions

Wash pumpkin well with soapy water, rinse and dry. Split pumpkin in half. Scoop out the fiber and seeds. Rub the halves with olive oil inside and out. Place flesh side down on a greased baking sheet (or silpat). Bake at 375 degrees until the meat is fork tender and orangey-yellow. At the same time, individually wrap the baking potatoes and sweet potatoes in foil. Place in the oven on an upper rack to bake until soft. The pumpkin and potatoes should be done about the same time. When cool enough to handle scoop out the flesh of the potatoes and pumpkin into a large clean bowl. Add a couple tbsp of butter and let melt into the mixture. In a skillet brown the bacon rendering the fat. Remove the bacon to drain. Pour away all but about 2 tsp of the remaining fat. Return to heat and add the onion. Cook until clear. Add the onions to the potatoes and pumpkin. Using a stick blender or food processor, puree the mix. Pour the puree into a stock pot. Slowly add the stock until the mix is the consistency of soup that you prefer. We like a thicker soup. You might like a thinner soup. Heat through and allow to simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with bacon pieces and a dollop of sour cream on top.
Note: Adding heavy cream with the stock makes for a richer soup. For freezing allow soup to cool. Pour into freezer containers. Label and freeze.