Acorn Squash Soup: Autumn in a Bowl

I have been obsessed with soup-like-things ever since we entered the month of October...perhaps because, in my mind, October officially marks the beginning of autumn... never mind the 90 degree Texas heat. I don't care how hot it is outside. I'm sick of summer and I will boldly wear scarves, burn pumpkin-scented candles, and make warm, comforting soups no matter what the thermometer says. Give me autumn liberty or give me death.

I know I get a bit dramatic. Roll with it.

Since Anthony always eats pizza with his youth on Sunday nights, I get to make dinner for myself and try new, crazy things that I would not expect him to jump with joy over.

I was in a vegetarian mood, so when I walked in to Kroger I picked up a plethora of interesting fall vegetables with which I had never cooked. Don't you just love cooking adventures? My bounty included:

1 gorgeous acorn squash
1 bunch of radishes
1 large rutabaga
1 turnip

I cut it all up, drizzled it with olive oil and seasoned it with salt, pepper,and plenty of fresh thyme. Although the end result was visually appealing with all the lovely muted colors...

It wasn't too tasty.

But was I about to let all that labor go to waste? Oh no. Not yet. There was only one hope for these little veggies to reach their full culinary potential. Simple roasting was unsuccessful... but what if I pureed them into a soup?

I returned my test subjects to the oven, placed them close to the heat, and roasted the patootie out of them until they got super soft and started to develop a caramel color.

After being pureed in a blender, added to a pot with a couple of cups of chicken stock, then livened up with a splash of milk, I had the most wonderful fall soup! Silky and velvety and warm and comforting and distinctly AUTUMN. Yes.

Serve with a green veggie for the purposes of striking color contrast. Also serve with fresh bread... because we all know that carbs = love.

Oh, and if you need to indulge your carnivorous husband, garnish the soup with some crispy, crumbled turkey bacon.