Appetizer -- Roasted Parsnip Soup

5 to 6 parsnips, trimmed, washed and chopped into one inch pieces
Olive oil
2 stalks of celery, chopped
One onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. curry powder
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 14.5 cans of chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Real bacon bits (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix parsnip pieces with salt, pepper and olive oil. Arrange parsnip pieces on a roasting pan in single layer and roast in oven for 20 – 25 minutes until slightly browned. While parsnip is roasting, saute celery and onion in olive oil in medium soup pot over medium heat for 15 minutes. Add minced garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Add parsnip and curry powder and saute for 5 minutes. Add brown sugar and chicken broth and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Put mixture in blender (in batches if necessary) and blend until smooth. Return mixture to soup pot to warm and season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with real bacon bits.