{from scratch} butternut squash soup

When cool weather reaches the bay I love the idea of soup. Soup + squash, how much better does it get on a foggy day.

Good ol' Martha Stewart provided the original recipe and her readers offered some suggestions that I incorporated. The results were delicious and I will definitely be making it again. The recipe below includes the alterations that I tried, yummy.

The ingredients: 

2 tbls butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 piece fresh ginger (3 inches), peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into cubes
2 3/4 pounds butternut squash, cut in 3/4 inch cubes
A pinch of nutmeg, cumin, turmeric, coriander, red chili powder
4 cups chicken broth 
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Sour cream (optional)
Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

The steps: 

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, parsnips, squash, and spices. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in 4 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, about 20 minutes.

Puree soup in two batches. To allow the heat to escape while blending, remove the cap from the lid and cover the top with a dish towel. Stir in juice and season with salt and pepper.

The seeds:

1 cup raw green pumpkin seeds
1 tsp chili powder
1/8 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp coarse salt
2 tsp fresh lime juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin seeds, chili powder, cayenne pepper, coarse salt, and fresh lime juice; toss to coat. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until puffed and browned, about 10 minutes.

Top warm soup with sour cream and pumpkin seeds and serve with toasted baguette.

Enjoy!