The Butternut Squash Soup Recipe You Should Make Now!

Butternut squash is so beautiful. Butternut squash is so tasty. Butternut squash is so versatile. 

Roasted. Sautéed. Soups. And in every other way you can imagine. 

I started growing butternut squash in my garden about three or four years ago. Maybe five. Why did I wait so long? What was I thinking?

One of the go-to recipes for my family all winter long is courtesy of the legendary Emeril Lagasse and the Food Network.

It's the Smoked Sausage, Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Soup recipe that's an absolute knockout. It is absolutely amazing when I make it with my butternut squash from my garden. 

The kids love it, too! I mean, how can you go wrong with sausage and wild rice and butternut squash from your garden?

I live in Virginia. Home of shirt-soaking hot and humid summers. Think sweat and mildew and disease in plants. 

This past summer I tried these amazing seeds from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. They are South Anna Butternut Squash plants that are Downy Mildew resistant. They did fabulous and were still growing right up to the first hard frost that just happened overnight!

Find the seeds here!

And find the soup recipe here!

Finally, enjoy!

My first attempt to grow a Jarrahdale pumpkin in my garden is a success!

Behold our 15-lb. Jarrahdale pumpkin!

It's no secret I like to grow things you might not find in any garden, let alone a typical garden. Purple green beans, Tiger's eye and Sorana beans for soups, heirloom Oaxacan Green or Hopi Turquoise corn that's blue or purple or differing shades of green. This summer and fall I experimented with Jarrahdale pumpkins. They are big and blue that are orange and tender and orange on the inside--think butternut squash--and great for baking or in soups. At least that's what I'm told because we haven't cut into one yet!

Seth, Olivia, and Judah model our first Jarrahdale pumpkin!

I bought the seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. and planted in July after harvesting my Oaxacan Green corn. Something to note: The vines can take over your garden! If you have the space, these Jarrahdale pumpkins will roam, climb, wander, cling, and spread all over the place! They are resilient because my other squash really suffered from disease this year, but not these Jarrahdale pumpkins! It was also a really dry fall with drought conditions and the Jarrahdale pumpkins made it just fine. I harvested the first 15-lb. pumpkin today and have several more in the garden.

I'm loving this Jarrahdale pumpkin from my garden!

Don't you think these pumpkins are gorgeous! And a nice touch for fall decorations if you like DIY decorating. Pair them with other colorful pumpkins and you have great taste in decor!