Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup

Even here in sunny San Diego we sometimes need a "warm you to your bones" winter soup.  Hot and steamy, this particular soup also adds a spicy kick to heat you up just that much more.

Join me today as we bring you our latest submission to the Blogger C.L.U.E Society and make our way back to Colorado to Lea Ann at Cooking on the Ranch with Western Flair and Rocky Mountain Air!

Lea Ann brings fabulous recipes with a little something for everyone, and it didn't take me long to find a recipe fitting for our C.L.U.E March assignment - potatoes.  And does Lea Ann have some awesome potato recipes on her blog!  How about Potatoes Cooked in Banana Leaves?  Or the one that totally caught my eye, Twice Baked Potatoes with Poached Eggs?

However, with our family dietary restrictions (dairy-free), our quest for mostly plant-based foods, and a somewhat chilly day here in San Diego, it was the Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup that my husband chose as our recipe for the month.  (Funnily enough, we chose sweet potatoes last time we visited Lea Ann's blog in November!)

Filled with sweet potatoes, onions and apples, this soup receives a spicy kick from a spoonful of adobo, and then cools down with a drizzle of creamy coconut milk.  Spiced with ginger and a touch of my new favorite spice, turmeric, the soup bursts with flavors and warms you to your toes simply from the scent alone.

So here's hoping that your winter weather is turning as snow drifts away into warmer breezes and spring flowers.  But if you still need a warm up, this soup has your name all over it.

Now see what the rest of the C.L.U.E Members brought to the table! 

• Bacon Wrapped Potatoes w/ Sriracha Sauce by Debra from Eliot's Eats
• Bacon-wrapped Smashed Redskin Puffs by Stacy from Food Lust People Love
• Balsamic Roasted Fingerling Potatoes by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Basil Lime Gin Gimlet by Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Cheddar Scallion Potato Buns by Lora from Cake Duchess
• Chicken Pot Pie by Heather from girlichef
• Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup by Kim from Liv Life
• Chocolate, Coconut, Butterscotch and Oatmeal Cake Cookies by Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet
• Daisy's Noisette Potatoes by Janet from Cupcakes to Caviar
• Honey Dijon Roasted Potato Salad by Ramona from Curry and Comfort
• Irish Brown Bread by Kathy from Bakeaway with Me
• Irish Old Fashioned Cocktail by Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Okie Peasant Potato Soup by Christiane from Taking on Magazines
• Potato and Celery Root Puree by Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch
• Potato and White Bean Soup with Sage by Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme
• Potato Rolls by Kelli from Kelli's Kitchen
• Potatoes O'Brien by Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch
• Slow Cooker Beef and Guinness Pie by Anna from annaDishes
• Smoked Salmon Chowder by Jean from Lemons and Anchovies
• Tchertma (Zucchini and Eggs) by Kate from Kate's Kitchen
• Thin Crispy French Fries by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Quinoa Salad with Avocado, Black Beans and Chipotle Lime Dressing

Have you ever had one of those days where it all starts out so wonderful, everything is going just perfectly and then it feels like someone rips the rug out from under you?  You know the feeling... waking up to a tasty breakfast followed by a nice brisk walk in the fresh early morning air, playing tug a war with your favorite rope after chasing your ball and then it happens.  They take your collar off.  Usually that means one thing... a bath.

First you are put in the empty bath tub along with your brother and high hopes that they just put you there to contain you so you won't chase the cat  (you know she is 19, nearly blind and can't see where she's going, but it's darn fun to chase her anyway...).  A paper cup is all the entertainment you need for a few minutes as she reaches for those bottles of something.  And then it happens.  Water.  Lots of water.  Thankfully the water is warm, and actually after a while it's really not so bad.  You really do start to feel better without all the dust and grime that has accumulated over the last couple of weeks and now you actually smell pretty darn good.  But then... Lather, rinse, repeat.

Lather, rinse, repeat...

What to do after a bath?  What better than tear around the back yard, rolling on the ground and chasing your brother until you are truly out of breath and panting, you then collapse under a lounge chair for a quick rest while she is doing something in the kitchen - like she always is.  Hopefully it's chicken.

After a nice brush out your hair is gleaming, but your eyes begin to droop.  Thankfully it was chicken along with some other salad thing that she was putting together (but that was for the people) and now with a full tummy you begin looking for a place to lay your head.  Thankfully there are usually a pair of arms somewhere or a nice lap to crawl onto.  After all, it's been a tough day.