Your next cooking club challenge is spiced squash soup

Our cooking club features one great recipe for the entire month, including a prize for the best photo entry. So spread the word to all your friends – with nearly a month to enter, fitting a new recipe onto the menu will be a breeze.

November's challenge: Acorn squash soup with warm spices

Move over, pumpkin; it's time for another squash to take centre stage! In our kitchen we love the humble little acorn squash. It's delicious and so beautiful we couldn't resist roasting some to create spectacular serving dishes. Each one is the perfect size for a helping of our new favourite soup; just roast ‘em to create spectacular serving dishes (and don’t forget to toast the seeds for a crunchy garnish).

The prize

At the end of the month we'll select the best photo submission and that lucky winner will receive a Wolfgang Puck 500 Watt Food Prep Centre from our friends at The Shopping Channel.

Click here for contest rules and regulations.

Acorn squash soup

Ingredients

• 1-kg acorn squash
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
• 1/2 tsp salt, divided
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup 35% cream
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1/2 cup pepitas, optional
• sour cream, optional

Instructions

• PREHEAT oven to 350F. Peel squash. Cut in half and set seeds aside. Cut squash into 1-in. cubes. Squash should measure about 7 cups.
• WASH and dry 1/3 cup squash seeds. Toss with 1 tsp oil and 1/8 tsp salt on a baking sheet. Toast seeds in centre of oven until dark golden, 13 to 15 min. Transfer to a rack to cool.
• HEAT a large pot over medium. Add remaining oil, then onion. Cook until onion softens, about 5 min. Add garlic, spices and remaining salt. Cook 1 min. Add cubed squash and cook 2 more min. Add broth and water. Boil, then reduce heat to medium and gently boil, partially covered, until squash is very tender, 25 to 30 min.
• PURÉE mixture in pot using a hand blender, or in a blender in batches. Stir in cream and lime juice. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with toasted squash seeds, pepitas and sour cream.

Serving Tip: Slice 1/2 in. off bottoms of 6 squash so they sit flat. Cut off tops for lids. Scoop out seeds and enough squash to hold 1 cup of soup. Brush bowls and lids with oil and set on a baking sheet. Bake at 400F until just tender, about 25 min.

How to post your pic?

Once you have your photo, you can post it one of four ways (make sure you’re not on a private setting):

• Follow us on Instagram, then post your photo using @ChatelaineKitchen
• Follow us on Twitter, then tweet us your photo with the hashtag #ChatelaineKitchen
• Like us on Facebook, then message us your photo
• Email us your picture at chatelaine.kitchen@gmail.com

Get your photos posted by Thursday, November 27 at noon to be considered for club’s photo gallery, which features the prize-winning photo and all our club entires.