Pumpkin Soup Recipe

When I made my menu for the month on Sunday, I decided that every Wednesday would be "Soup Day".  I didn't decide what soups I was going to make, though.  Tonight, I looked on my counter and saw a cooking pumpkin and decided I would make a pumpkin soup.  I looked through my cookbooks for ideas and found one in a Moosewood cookbook.  I started from there and then made my own.  I changed it so much that the method and ingredients are very different.  Here's the recipe I came up with (my whole family really liked it--even my pickiest eater):

Middle Eastern Pumpkin Soup

2 cups diced onions

2 Tbsp. Olive oil

1 cup peeled and sliced carrots

2 ½ cups chopped pumpkin (½” chunks)

1 ½ tsp salt

2 ½ cups chicken broth

1 ¼ cups apple juice

¼ cup tomato sauce

¼ cup water

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp paprika

1-2 cups diced cooked chicken (I used some from 2 leftover chicken thighs that I cooked on Sunday)

Directions:

1. Dice onions and saute in olive oil.
2. Begin chopping carrots. When they are chopped, add to the onions. Then, peel and cut the fresh pumpkin (or butternut squash) into small cubes (1/2”) and add to the onions. Saute for a few more minutes.
3. Add liquids and spices.  Cook over medium heat.  
4. Simmer for 15 minutes and then check vegetables for softness. Continue cooking until vegetables are soft, but not mushy.  Then, put 2 cups of soup in blender and puree. Return pureed mixture to pot and mix in.
5. Add chicken and stir till chicken is heated.
6. Optional: You can serve sour cream on the side to dollop onto the soup.