Ruth wandered off to band practice the other night while I was cooking dinner. When her bandmates asked how the whole having people take over your bedroom and small apartment thing went she said “Oh Elizabeth is at home right now making roasted corn and squash soup.” Now they want to know if they can have someone invade their home and make them food.

I am thinking the kid and I shall become traveling chefs. In exchange for a comfy bed and the cost of ingredients- you too can have me come make you food. I can cook for anyone- vegans, celiacs, every weird food allergy known to humankind, plus meat. Yummy yummy meat. Right now I’m trying to find a recipe for boneless leg of lamb that doesn’t require an oven and gets rid of the slight armpit taste that lamb sometimes has.

Anyone got a bed to spare?

But in the meantime- Roasted corn and squash soup.

This is spicy. Really really spicy. If you want less spice use less chipotle peppers and for god’s sake seed them first. I didn’t.

5 cups good veggie broth
5 cups winter squash or pumpkin (I used frozen winter squash which cut down on cooking time and eliminated the need to blend the soup- I highly recommend this trick)
half a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (if cooking wheat free make sure you check the label)
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 or 3 cups unsweetened soy milk
5 cups roasted corn (about 5 ears) or a large bag of frozen corn. We had some lovely leftover corn that had been roasted on the barbque so it was all smokey. I supplemented with frozen corn roasted in the toaster oven.
salt and pepper to taste
sour cream (tofutti sour supreme is fine for the vegans) or a good farmers cheese to garnish

In large stock pot, heat some olive oil and cook onions till transparent, add garlic and ginger. Cook for another minute till fragrant

Add stock, squash and diced chipotles. Cook for 20 minutes (if frozen) or until squash is tender (if fresh). If using fresh squash or pumpkin, use hand blander or blend soup in batches till smooth.

Add soymilk and corn & salt & pepper to taste. Bring back to boil. Let cook till the flavors are happily married and serve with a generous dollop of sour cream or cheese.