Make this one cold evening with a couple of friends, light some candles, and sit back with a glass of wine while you wait for the soup to cook. Then ladle the soup into mugs and pass them around. This soup will warm you from the inside out. Remember that peanuts are a legume, so that makes it nourishing and a good source of protein. Also, be forewarned: the peanut butter and coconut milk make it quite rich, so one cup goes a long way. If you’re up for it, you can add a simple green salad, and call it a meal.

1 butternut squash (cooked)
1 medium-large onion, diced
2 tsp. olive oil
5-6 cups hot water
1/2 can (7 oz.) coconut milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. powdered ginger
1 tsp. hot curry powder
2 tsp. salt
curly parsley for garnish (optional

Place a small-medium sized butternut squash on a cookie sheet and bake for one hour at 450F. Set aside for an hour or so until it is cool enough to handle comfortably. 

Slice the squash in half the long way, discard the seeds and skin, scoop the orange flesh into a bowl, and set aside again. 

In a soup pot, fry the onion in olive oil on medium-high heat until it begins to turn brown at the edges. Add the squash and coconut milk, and stir well. Add the water and stir again. 

Once the soup begins to steam, add the peanut butter and stir until it melts completely. Add ginger, curry powder, and salt, and cook 1/2 hour more until very hot. Sprinkle with some fresh parsley just prior to serving. Makes 6 servings.

As the soup cools, it will thicken. Thin leftovers with hot water to the desired consistency. It’s just as good the next day.