An All Hallow's Eve Dinner with Butternut Squash and Thyme Soup with Masa Dumplings

A little witch once told me that to brew the perfect potion, one must have all the finest ingredients. Advice that truly goes for almost anything in life. To create the perfect meal, the perfect atmosphere.. the perfect moment in time... you must piece it together with simply the best. I believe that comes with time and collecting of goods. It's not something that you can stumble upon. So I gather, I harvest, and I search for the finest of fine things this world has to offer... so that I can create my version of imperfect beauty.

Ever since I was a wee child, I have always been fond of October -- the changing of seasons, of colors and feelings. It stirs something in our souls and makes us crave warmth and health. I believe it brings out the witchy side of us all. We begin to brew soups and roast squash. We decorate our porches with gourds and brooms that fill the atmosphere with the aroma of cinnamon. We take time out to pick apples that then turn into breads, cakes and ciders. We begin to get more creative, crafting with our hands and creating magic that we share with our friends and children. If this isn't truly the defining factors of what it is to be a witch... then I dunno what is.

I know I have always had a witchy side... I love creating things from the earth and collect way too may crystals, rocks and sticks. My house is covered in both living and dried plants and I'm always concocting some sort of elixir for wellness or simply for fun. So when All Hallows Eve comes around, I always indulge and get lost in the seasonal festivities.

For my All Hallows Eve dinners, I always make a cauldron full of soup or stew. It's the perfect seasonal meal, especially for a group. Every year I find myself making a creamy pumpkin or squash soup, so this year I wanted to expand my horizons and go with a simple broth. I brewed this butternut squash, purple sweet potato, carrot and thyme soup for a few hours to develop the flavor. I took all the extra bits, like the onions skins, fresh garlic, carrot ends and lots of thyme and let it simmer in some chicken broth for an hour or so, while I sautéed the actual chopped butternut squash, sweet potato and onion on the side. It truly helped create a full flavor that warmed the soul and didn't leave my chopped veggies overcooked and mushy. I added some fresh spinach, chives and masa dumplings in the end to finish it off.