Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

While I enjoy soups year round, there is just something about colder weather that makes soups taste so much better. While the weather is busy making up it's mind, I've decided since it's practically October, it's officially soup season!

I decided to branch out and try something new. I've seen several recipes for soups with butternut squash, but hadn't been brave enough try any. Well this particular video looked to good to pass up. And y'all, let me tell you, this is one delicious soup!

If you've never cooked with a butternut squash before, be prepared, when it comes to cutting this puppy in half, she has one tough exterior. I wasn't expecting it to be quite so difficult and almost sliced through a finger.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-sized butternut squash

• 1/2 can of full-fat coconut milk

• 2 shallots

• 1 garlic head

• 2 Thai chili (optional- depends on your heat preference)

• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

• 2-3 medium carrots

• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth (or more depending on how think you want your soup)

• Olive oil to drizzle on your veggies

• 2 tsp turmeric powder

• 2 tsp paprika

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 380F

2. Prepare all listed vegetables and place on baking sheet

3. Add seasonings and olive oil

4. Bake for 45 min, until vegetables are golden and soft inside

5. Place everything in a pot, and add coconut milk and broth. Blend with an immersion blender

6. Adjust seasoning to taste, serve and enjoy!!

Notes:

• I ended up using the entire can of the coconut milk because I did not have a recipe to use up the remaining half of the can. I also wanted my soup to be a little thinner as mine was quite thick. I also ended up adding about 1/2 cup more of the vegetable broth.

• I started out with mine in a blender, but it was still to chunk for me so I ended up using my immersion blender to smooth out the soup more.

• My Wal-Mart or Reasor's didn't have a Thai chili so I substituted with a serrano pepper instead.

• Recipe found from alina_prokuda (not sure what platform she posted this on and I thought I saved it but did not, otherwise I would have linked it)

Do you have a favorite soup that you love making during fall? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below!