Can’t say no to homemade soup 

Calabaza squash is also known as Puerto Rican Pumpkin or Jamaican Pumpkin. You can substitute for another squash if you cannot find this one.

Pumpkins provide nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin E, which are some of the most powerful vitamins to amp up your immune system

If calabaza pumpkin is tough to find, butternut squash makes a great substitute.

What you need to make the soup:

• 1/2 calabaza pumpkin or butternut squash
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into one-inch chunks
• 3 medium potatoes, washed and quartered
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 white turnip, washed and quartered (optional)
• 1 small cabbage, chopped (2cups) or Brussel Sprouts
• 1 green bell pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1/2 cup of pasta (rotini, penne, or broken angel hair spaghetti)* see tip below
• 1 pound of beef stew meat or chicken breast, or Shrimp (optional)
• 1/2-cup broth of the meat you select
• Fresh Parsley 
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

Margarine or butter, to taste

All-purpose seasoning to taste

Juice of one lime (fresh is always best) 

1/2-cup tomato sauce

Water, enough to cover all ingredients in the pot

Preparation Directions:

Prepare the meat: Wash the meat with lime juice, rinse in hot water, and drain. Season the meat and let it marinate for at least 10 minutes—the longer, the better. Add olive oil, diced garlic, and the meat to a stockpot. Brown with a couple of teaspoons of water and let it caramelize. Add 1/2 cup of broth, cover, cook until tender. If you’re using a pressure cooker, this will take about 10 minutes.

Prepare the vegetables:
While the meat is cooking, wash, peel, and cut all the vegetables into medium pieces. Cut the calabaza squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Cut the halves into ¾-inch to one-inch slices. (The skin can be left on for now and removed later.) Boil the squash in a large pot of water for about 15 minutes until cooked. Once it’s cool enough to handle, remove the skin and blend the squash into a puree with some broth or water.

Combine and cook: In the same large pot, add more water if needed and combine all the veggies, spices, and squash puree. Bring all to a boil on medium heat, then add the cooked meat. 

Adjust the seasoning with salt, butter, and pepper as needed. Add your favorite seasoning depending on which protein you choose to add. I.E. Shrimp, Meat or Chicken.

Cover the pot and let it simmer on low heat. Allow the soup to rest for five minutes before serving with lime wedges on the side. Lemon is a good substitute.

This Recipe is very similar to many home recipes, and, the ingredients listed here are interchangeable, but we all can agree there is nothing like a good bowl of soup to make you feel good inside.  * We don’t like mushy pasta, So if you cook the pasta separately, you can add it to individual bowls as needed, and if there is leftover soup you can cook additional pasta the next day. 

Add a crusty bread recipe and you’re all set. We would add some vino, one of our favorite brands.

We love Josh Wines. They go great with food. Our experience is they don’t change in flavor when paired with food.