acorn squash soup recipe

Before Thanksgiving, my family and I ate a light chicken soup made from the leftover chicken from beer can, spicy chicken. The soup stock had pureed potatoes, mushrooms, celery, carrots, Celtic sea salt, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper. 

I froze a quart of this soup to save for later cooking adventures in my dorm. :)

Today is reading day. I have plenty of studying and writing to do, but I wanted to start with a healthy, yummy meal instead of heading to the dining hall for something less appealing.

I put the frozen soup stock in my rice cooker. I had an acorn squash I had bought the week before I hadn't done anything with yet. I tried to peel it. Ladies and gents, acorn squash, shock of all shocks, does not peel. I ended up having to cut extra squash away with the peel, but in the end, it worked. I chopped the squash into 1/2 cubes and tossed them into the rice cooker. 

I let it cook for about 10 minutes. Then I transferred the soup into my smoothie maker and blended it until smooth. I then put in back into the pot to continue simmering and let the flavors meld. I poured some into a bowl and sprinkled cheese on top, and now I have a delicious, bone-warming soup, perfect for this wintry, reading day. 

Every recipe I looked up online required you to roast your acorn squash before adding it to the soup stock. I don't have an easily accessible oven, so I just chopped it and let it simmer longer.

The recipe is as followed:

1 qt chicken soup stock

1/2 cup carrots

1 stick celery

1/2 cup mushrooms

1/4 onion

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 spoon sea salt (sea salt tends to be very potent, so only the tiniest of pinches is really necessary)

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1 acorn squash

Put chicken soup stock in rice cooker, or in pot on stove on medium high. Add carrots, celery, mushrooms, onion, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and cumin. Let simmer for 20 minutes.

Peel and chop acorn squash carefully, or use leftover roasted acorn squash. Butternut squash will also work. Add to soup.

Let simmer for 10 minutes. 

Add all of soup to a blender or food processor. Blend on high until smooth. Return to pot. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Pour into bowl, sprinkle cheese or sour cream on top, and enjoy!