Pumpkin spice drinks, warm -out of the oven- home-made bread, comfort foods all over again. Pumpkin patch, corn maze, everything says harvest. After over a decade in Colorado, this October was our first time at the Botanic Garden Chatfield Fall Festival. Rows of distant fall color changing trees stood around us in the open field. The Rocky Mountains watched from afar. Our kids went around in such excitement that our youngest got off his pony ride with his right foot landing in a water bucket.  In an adventurous move, he simply smiled as he shook the water off his shoe. Next minute, I’m being pulled into a line of food trucks and stands full of funnel cakes and pretzels…

.. Sweet corn, chicken on a stick, turkey legs, kettle popcorn and more. Undoubtedly, we tried many of these. A fall feast!

Inspired by the whole experience, I got back home to mix Fall ingredients and spices ending with this delicious Pumpkin Squash Spice Soup!

My recipe:

Saute bacon pieces on the bottom of the pan where you will make the soup. When the bacon has cooked, remove it from the pan and leave some of the drippings.

Dice a medium size squash into chunks, and add to the pan. Add salt, pepper and crushed red peppers.

Add 2 peeled apples, cut into chunks and without any seeds. Let it saute until the squash starts to brown.

Drizzle the juice of a clementine.

Add ginger, Allspice, ground cinnamon and let it absorb the seasoning (1 more minute.) Add water and mix.

Add 1 can of pumpkin and mix.

Let it cook on medium low for 1 hour approximately mixing occasionally. Adjust salt to taste.

You may blend the soup and strain it for a silky fine texture or you may mash the undissolved peaces before finishing. Serve with heavy whipping cream, bacon bits and sprinkle crushed red peppers. Add croutons ( optional .)