By October approaching and the school year has fully arrived — I mean this in the way that the beginning-of-year novelty has settled into the actual rhythmic work, which is harder in some ways and more satisfying in others. I am writing six IEP progress notes per week. I am running data on communication goals. I am coordinating with Ms. Okafor and Ms. Park and Mr. Delgado on three separate students. I am buying snacks with my own money and not thinking about it too hard. I am tired. I am exactly where I am supposed to be.
A blog post this week went somewhere unexpected — a piece I wrote about buying school supplies at Goodwill as a first-year teacher. It got picked up by an education policy newsletter. Someone from a teacher advocacy organization in Illinois emailed to ask if I would contribute a piece about first-year teacher material costs. I said yes. This is moving in a direction I did not plan. I am going with it.
Made butternut squash soup this week — my fall opening-day soup, the one that says we have arrived in the good season. Two pounds of butternut squash roasted at 425 with garlic and olive oil until caramelized at the edges, then blended with chicken broth and a little cream and nutmeg and ginger. Under three dollars. The kitchen in Pilsen smelled so good that Claudia knocked to ask what I was making. I gave her a bowl. She said "The squash is right." This is the highest praise Claudia offers.
Autumn is the right season for this job. Everything is getting deeper — the work, the food, the light. The mornings are cool enough now that the drive in has that specific October quality: dark and sharp and focused. I pull into the school parking lot and walk in and Room 108 is there, waiting, the visual schedule on the board, the snack basket full, the labels on everything. Ready. Every morning, ready. This is what I wanted. This is exactly it.
That soup Claudia knocked for — the one that made the whole Pilsen apartment smell like October had finally meant something — is the recipe I keep coming back to at the start of every fall. It fits the season the way a good lesson plan fits a Monday morning: ready, grounded, and exactly right. If you’re looking for the full lineup of what belongs in your October kitchen, this is the guide I return to every year, and the butternut squash soup is always where it starts.
What to Cook This October
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 45 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- Optional: crusty bread or toasted pepitas for serving
Instructions
- Roast the squash. Preheat oven to 425°F. Spread cubed butternut squash and unpeeled garlic cloves on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast 35–40 minutes, turning once, until squash is tender and caramelized at the edges.
- Prep the garlic. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let cool slightly. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and set aside with the squash.
- Blend the soup. Transfer the roasted squash and garlic to a blender or use an immersion blender in a large pot. Add chicken broth in two additions, blending until completely smooth.
- Finish and season. Pour blended soup into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in heavy cream, nutmeg, and ginger. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Heat through, about 5 minutes, without bringing to a boil.
- Serve. Ladle into bowls and top with toasted pepitas or a drizzle of cream if desired. Serve with crusty bread on the side.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 210 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 390mg