Step-by-Step Recipe: Creamy Pumpkin Soup

I feel like a bad food blogger.  It's been too long, and I know it.  But in my defense, it's been a crazy week.  Last weekend was a bit of a whirlwind, and then on Monday and Tuesday, I traveled to Portland, Oregon for work.  Yes, 5,600+ miles in less than 48 hours.  And so I've been...wrecked...since then. Then yesterday I had a medical procedure that required anesthesia, so I wasn't allowed to do much in the kitchen when I got home. All I have cooked in the last week has been a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches.  Hopefully that will change today!

In other news, my dark chocolate cupcakes with pumpkin cream cheese frosting won the Halloween Bake Sale/Contest at work in a couple of categories--Most Wicked and Most Haunted; I came in second for Most Creepy, and tied for third for Best in Show.  So that's good, right?

Last weekend was Halloween, and despite the fact that I needed to wake up at 3 in the morning on Monday to make it to the airport to catch my flight, I did want to "celebrate," even if in a small way.  We only had a few trick-or-treaters (anyone want a Kit-Kat?  We have lots!), but luckily that gave me time to whip up a little something for the holiday: creamy pumpkin soup.

I've been making this recipe for years, and have shared it with several friends.  I think it could be a perfect first course at Thanksgiving dinner, but it's also perfect for a simple Sunday supper on Halloween, especially when accompanied by the perfect grilled cheese sandwich (which it was this past Sunday!).

I originally found this recipe online at AllRecipes.com, but I have made some alterations.  First, I don't make the cinnamon croutons; second, I use much much much less cream, as the soup doesn't need it.

More below the cut!

Start assembling your ingredients.

First things first, dice the onion and melt the butter.  Add the onion to the butter and saute until tender.

Add half the chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor and process until smooth (I tried to do this with my immersion blender, but it didn't work at all).  Then return it to the saucepan.

Add the the rest of the ingredients, except the cream.  It's sort of white looking here because the food processor made the broth mixture very frothy.

Stir well.  Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the cream or half-and-half.  (I suggest you start with just a little and taste as you go; you may not want to add any; the soup is less creamy that way, but still delicious.  The cream adds some richness, though.)  I added about 1/3 cup of cream, because that's what I had on hand.  Heat through, but do not boil.

Ladle into bowls to serve.  Sprinkle with a pinch of pumpkin pie spice, if desired.

Enjoy!

Creamy Pumpkin Soup, recipe from AllRecipes.com, altered by Julie
Time: 30-40 minutes. Serves: 4.

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream OR half-and-half (to taste)
• pumpkin pie spice, for serving

Directions

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan and saute onion until tender. Add 1 can chicken broth; stir well. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
2. Transfer broth mixture into the container of a blender or food processor. Process until smooth.
3. Return mixture to saucepan. Add remaining can of broth, pumpkin, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground pepper; stir well. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, and adjusting seasoning to taste.
4. Stir in cream and heat through. Do not boil. Ladle into individual soup bowls. Sprinkle each serving lightly with pumpkin pie spice, if desired.