Roasted pumpkin seed garnish for a Creamy Pumpkin Soup…
Author: Cassie Stevens
I love this time of year! The colors are vibrant and warm! The seasons are changing. The weather is getting colder. I welcome the Fall with whisk in hand. I love it so much I named my daughter Autumn. I embrace this time of year and try to enjoy it as much as possible. The smell of roasted root vegetables, baked apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and open fires intrigues my soul. The need to get cozy and warm under a blanket on those cool nights your outside under the stars. As Winter approaches… I waited for this time all year, pumpkin everything.
My mountains dressed in their Fall colors, the Great Smoky Mountains, TN.
Every year for about the past ten years – with an exception to the year I was pregnant with my daughter – I have gone on a pumpkin baking frenzy. I LOVE pumpkin!! as much as Bubba loves shrimp. Yeah that’s me…
Ha! Ha! Ha! I love it! Pumpkin everything…
I had not tried pumpkin in a soup; until now. I make pumpkin fudge, and pumpkin pie every year. Pumpkin fudge is one of my favorites, but this soup is now on my every years pumpkin to-do list. This is a great soup. It’s sweet and savory with a creamy texture. I really enjoyed. I really think you will too.
Getting ready to gut a pumpkin…
Pumpkins are beautiful, and they are good for you too! You can do just about anything with a pumpkin. You can turn them into dinner, a dessert, a drink, a candy, carve them up for decorations, or use them as target practice. Enemy Pumpkins!!
Seeded pumpkin quarters…
I love roasting pumpkins. The whole house smells great, and I start feeling all warm and fuzzy (and its not from the moonshine). I have always used pie pumpkins for all my recipes. I was told by someone, somewhere that they were the best for baking. The smaller the pumpkin the creamier the texture, the larger the pumpkin the more fibrous the texture (makes sense). I never realized how many different types of pumpkins there are, until my recent research. I am definitely going to try a few other varieties out to turn into something even more amazing.
Scraping the guts out with a spoon…
I will try to post all my pumpkin recipes and endeavors that I make this year. I really want to dive deeper into the realm of everything pumpkin this year, and possibly can some pumpkin puree for the early part of next year.
Roasted garlic and pepper pumpkin seeds…
One of the best parts of the pumpkin are the roasted seeds. I make them as many different ways as I can. Olive oil and salt, garlic pepper, lemon sage, and even a spicy Cajun seasoning. My one year old daughter loves to eat pumpkin seeds too.
Pure pumpkin puree…
Sweet and delicious pumpkin puree, in its purest form. No salt, or anything just a little water. Ready for whatever comes its way. Now, this is what I made my wonderful soup from. I have about four cups here in my mason jar. You can put this in the fridge and use it anytime over the next couple of days. I used only two cups (half) in the soup.
Sweatin’ the onions…
Finely dice half an onion and about four cloves of garlic. I really like my garlic so i use a lot. Put half a stick of butter in your skillet and add 2 teaspoons brown sugar, dash of salt and pepper, and cook onions until translucent. This will start to smell wonderful, enjoy it!
Add 2 1/4 cups of vegetable, chicken, or bone broth and bring to a boil…
Mmmmm the soup is coming together…almost done…
Add pumpkin puree and one 12 ounce can of evaporated milk and bring back to a boil. Let this boil for about ten minutes or so. Take off heat and place an immersion blender in your pot and blend, or place in a regular stand blender and blend until smooth. You are mostly trying to get rid of the chunks of onion in it. So, if it suites you better you can skip this process. After blended, or not, cook again for about twenty or thirty minutes. It will reduce and thicken a little. I added heavy whipping cream, and roasted pumpkin seeds to my bowl as a garnish. My husband is lactose intolerant so if I can keep the dairy out I try.
Pumpkin soup….
Doesn’t that look so delicious. I still had a couple of chunks of onion in it, but I didn’t mind at all. The cream added a delectable texture that was perfect. My daughter couldn’t get enough of this soup and neither could I. We both ate until we just couldn’t anymore. I put hers in a sippy cup with a straw, and it went fast. She is such a good eater! I have never had a problem with her not wanting to eat her vegetables (it’s more the fruit she shuns away from).
So there it is, before it was gone…
Pumpkin Soup Recipe:
2 cups pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
2 1/4 cups chicken broth (or other broth you wish)
1/2 onion finely chopped
1/2 stick butter
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
Prep:
Melt butter in skillet, add onion, garlic, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Cook until onions are translucent. Add broth and bring to a boil for a few minutes. Add pumpkin puree, and evaporated milk and bring back to a boil for a few more minutes. Remove from heat and blend with hand blender. Return to heat, let cook until soup reduces and thickens slightly. Mix in cinnamon and nutmeg. Serve and garnish with cream and roasted pumpkin seeds or whatever else you wish. Enjoy!
~ Cassie Stevens
Pen Pals and Cookin' Gals 