So This What Happens When You're Famous

So imagine this scenario-- I woke up early this morning after a restless night of overheating, loud noises from my heater, and bad dreams.  As you can imagine, on this particular morning, I feel terrible, as I've been fighting a cold for nearly three weeks now and a restless evening certainly doesn't help.  After tripping three times on my way to work, watching the green line pull out of the station as I walked in, and freezing my [expletive] face off because apparently it's winter already, I arrive at work.  Before taking but three steps into our "cloffice" (yes that is exactly what it sounds like, a closet-office, very homey as you might imagine), I hear my co-worker Brooke exclaim, "I have a surprise for you!".  Is it that I get to go home from work right now?  Is it free money?  Is it summer?

Now, if you will recall, Brooke has previously had a cameo appearance in my blog as a naysayer to my ideas, specifically my buffalo macaroni and cheese.  But what I had previously forgot to mention was that Brooke rocks pretty hard: in the kitchen, in the classroom, and in the bedroom.  I made that last one up, I would have no idea, but that doesn't make it untrue...  Moving right along, I find myself most often consulting Brooke with advice for recipes and discussing my previous night's cooking adventures.  We can often be found spontaneously throwing together a baking/ cooking project with the kids, and have made well over 10 batches of scones since my return to work in July.  No shame in that.

I'm awful at staying on tract-- my surprise was homemade pumpkin and coconut soup and it was absolutely remarkable.  You may remember my previous discussion of my absolutely LOVE for pumpkin.  Couple that with my feeling approximately twelve feet under the freezing cold and dreary weather and we've found ourselves the perfect surprise luncheon!

If you are interested in this recipe, Brooke found it here, yet prepared it with some notable changes to the recipe!  The following [improvements] were made to this recipe, culminating in an amazing, flavorful lunchtime.   These changes were mainly to the ingredients and are as follows:

Roasted Red Kuri Pumpkin & Coconut Soup
serves 6 as a main course

4 to 4 1/2 pounds red Kuri squash * (See Note)  One Pie Pumpkin
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or butter  Olive Oil
4 2 cloves garlic
4 small shallots  1 yellow onion
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger, from a 3-inch long piece
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 dried red chili, about 2 inches long  Red Pepper Flakes
One 13.5 ounce  1/2 can light coconut milk
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Juice of 1 lime, about 2 tablespoons  Lemon Juice

And for the topping:  Roasted Pumpkin Seeds! (yeah it doesn't get much better than that)

Goodbye boring oatmeal/ banana, hello delicious pumpkin soup!  Thanks so much to Brooke for finding, preparing and sharing this absolutely delicious recipe!  AND congratulations on your upcoming wedding! :
)  I wonder what surprises tomorrow will bring......