Butternut Lump Soup and a Precious Baby

So I attempted to make my very first batch of Butternut Squash Soup yesterday after smelling how delicious it was at Whole Foods on Sunday.

I bought the squash and went home to research recipes. The diet I am on right now is pretty restrictive so I couldn't add the half and half or cream or milk that most recipes called for. A google search for "healthy butternut squash soup" yielded some disappointing results. So I decided (something I would regret later) to improvise. Not a good idea.

I cut the squash in half and put it in the oven. One recipe said to leave it in there for 30 minutes, so I decided to go for a quick run (not the safest idea, I know, but I was trying to multi-task). I came home and the house smelled wonderful! Just like the soup at Whole Foods. I was optimistic that I would soon be eating sweet, savory soup.

It looks yummy here

Well it all went downhill from there. Too much ginger and too many lumps resulted in a barely edible orange half-liquid half-solid food.

But was this lumpy mess in the end...

I think I'll wait until I can use the Paula Deen recipe (heavy cream included) before I try and attempt it again.

In order to lift my kitchen spirits, I went full force today, baking pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, pumpkin muffins, Rice Krispy treats and Halloweenie cookies all for a colleague bake sale we are having at work tomorrow, the proceeds of which will benefit our Light the Night Walk team (you can see our team page here). I loved filling our home with the smell of pumpkin - the fall is in full swing (even if it is 80 degrees outside still)!

And just to end this post, yesterday our very good friends had their first baby (well technically she had the baby, but you know what I mean). J and I were thrilled to be able to go visit them today! The baby is absolutely precious, so soft, smells good and the sweetest thing to hold. Congrats K+P on your Mattie P!