Apparently, I’m on a smoky-spicy kick. I made two back-t0-back recipes with this description: this Smoky-Spicy Sweet Potato Soup and yesterday’s Smoky-Spicy Tamale Pies.

I found this soup recipe in Rachael Ray’s October magazine. I’ve always liked butternut squash soup and pumpkin soup, so the recipe was right up my alley. The soup’s spicy notes come from the chipotle pepper, and the smokiness comes from the adobo sauce. There’s also a strong citrus flavor that comes through from the orange juice and zest.

I enjoyed the soup much more than my husband did. He wasn’t used to such a variety of flavors in one dish, so it’s a good thing I paired it with a little grilled cheese. We didn’t have any sour cream to cut the spiciness, so I ate mine with avocado, which worked well. Overall, I must admit that I’m glad this one wasn’t Nick’s favorite.. that means more for me!

Find the recipe here.