Jan 19 - Baharat flavored butternut squash and roasted cauliflower soup.

Sometimes a dish is just something I cobble up because I need to dispatch a vegetable that's been sitting around for too long.  Today's dish is a roasted cauliflower & butternut squash soup flavored with Baharat. Finished with some toasted pumpkin seeds and store bought croutons (which, in retrospect were a let down, as they usually are. Never ever trust a packaged product that claims to be pumpkin spice flavored. I mean, what IS that?

Winter squashes generally fall into this set, simply because they literally have a long shelf life. I had a cheese pumpkin that literally sat on my counter since September last year until I finally decided to use it up in order to free up counter space.

There's no shortage whatsoever of flavors that can be elicited from roasted vegetables, Its all in the marinade. Take your pick of spice blends / masala . combine it with some oil and drizzle the vegetables. Roast until the surface caramelizes at 450 F., then simply puree with some stock or milk and you have a fabulous satisfying meal, perfect for a chilly winter evening.