Fall in a Bowl

Hearty Winter Squash Soup- get the recipe

Gruyere Garlic Toasts- get the recipe

When fall is in the air and the temperatures start to cool down... wait... I live in Florida. The high today is 85 degrees.  I guess that's cooler than the normal 90 or 95 degrees, but far from anything "fall-like."  But last week, we had a cold front!  And of course, my soup cravings began!

I'm not going to tell you how "cold" it got.  Nope.  I understand the high risk of possibly being laughed at by people like my sister who is currently braving NYC's cold fall temperatures and bracing for their chilly winter season.  But I will tell you it was cold enough to make me stop everything and create my Hearty Winter Squash Soup.  There's nothing like a hot, hearty soup to warm you up after being outside in 70 (maybe 67) degree weather all day.  Brrrr!

Seriously though, I'm very passionate about bold flavors when it comes to my homemade soups.  Last fall, I posted my Hearty Butternut Squash Soup.  I created it after my craving for it was not satisfied by anything available at the grocery store.  And it's so simple!  That's what's great about making soups at home- you don't have to do anything fancy.  Just let the natural flavors shine through!

So, that's what I did with my Hearty Winter Squash Soup.  I use butternut squash, pumpkin puree, and sweet potato.  I cook it all in chicken broth with a cinnamon stick and a bay leaf to infuse even more flavor.  Then, I just blend it up.  Of course, serving it with my Gruyere Garlic Toasts always helps.

When Patrick first tasted this wonderful combination, he immediately looked at me and said, "This is like fall in a bowl!"  It was then I realized, it doesn't matter what the temperature is outside.  It doesn't take much for a homemade soup to warm your heart.