Spicy Butternut Squash Soup, Whoopie Pies and Kisses!

I made this soup tonight for tea after spotting an abundance of butternut squashes in the supermarket! How can something so funny looking taste like pumpkin yet smell so much like melon! lol

To be honest we havent had it any other way than roasted so this was a first and i have to say it was really really tasty! It was a kind of make it up as I go along recipe and to be honest other than maybe a little less cayenne pepper then i wouldnt change anything :)
Ingredients:

2 Whole butternut squash
2 leeks
2 small onions
3 cloves of garlic
3 tsp Cayenne pepper
2oz butter
2pts vegetable stock
salt & pepper to taste
double cream and croutons to serve

1. Heat the butter, cayenne and garlic until melted.
2. Cube all veg and add to the butter mix. Stir well until coated.
3. Leave to sweat for 10 minutes.
4. Pour over veg stock and leave for another 45 minutes.
5. Blitz with a hand blender.
6. Serve with croutons and a drizzle of double cream.

My first attempt at Whoopie Pies....I know I know Im so behind the times! lol
Ingredients:

300g Plain flour
35g Cocoa Powder
100g Unsalted Butter
175g Muscavado Sugar
1tsp Baking Powder
1tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
1tsp Vanilla Extract
pinch of salt
1 egg
4floz semi skimmed milk

1. Cream together butter, sugar and egg.
2. Sieve together flour, cocoa, bicarb, salt and baking powder.
3. Stir vanilla and milk together.
4. Alternate between adding the milk mix and powder mix to the creamed butter and sugar until all mixed and smooth.
5. Pipe into small rounds onto greased and lined baking sheets.
5. Heat oven to 170 degrees c and bake for 15 minutes.
6. Leave to cool and sandwich together with butter cream or fresh cream mix.

I will leave you with a little blown kiss from Evie - isnt she growing up so much, all her cradle cap has gone and she has the cutest little fluffy head of hair. I cant believe on the 14th of October she will be HALF A YEAR OLD!! EEK!!!