Spicy Caribbean Soup with Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbsp butter or margarine
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
5 cups chicken broth
6 cups cubed winter squash*
2 cups cooked chicken cubes (I buy a roasted chicken at the store, take off skin and cut it up for the soup)
3 cups hot cooked rice
Cilantro sprigs for garnish (optional)
Procedures:
Cook onion and garlic in butter in large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add bay leaf, pepper flakes, coriander, allspice, salt, black pepper and chicken broth.
Bring to a boil; simmer, covered, 10 to 15 minutes.
Add squash; simmer, covered, 10 to 15 minutes, or until squash is tender but still slightly firm. Remove bay leaf.
Reserve 1 1/2 cup squash cubes; puree remaining mixture.
Return reserved squash and pureed mixture to saucepan.
Stir in chicken cubes; cook until thoroughly heated.
Serve soup topped with hot rice.
Garnish with cilantro and pepper flakes, if desired.
*Any type of winter squash (hubbard, acorn) or pumpkin may be substituted.

If soup is too thick you can add more chicken broth.