Pumpkin Soup

Day 5:  Today, Mom and I made Pumpkin Soup, thanks to Allie's suggestion.  We visited the link to thepioneerwoman.com and used her Pumpkin Soup recipe as our inspiration.  At first, I thought it sounded gross.  I really did not want to make pumpkin soup.  Let me say that again.  I really, really, really did not want to make pumpkin soup.  What a waste of precious pumpkin that could be used for cookies and other yummy delectable treats!  Or, so I thought...
But, my evil mother insisted that we make something other than sweets with at least SOME of the pumpkin puree, so I was forced to make it with her, dragging my feet (literally) every step of the way.  Good thing I was wearing slippery socks!  I felt like I was ice skating!  Despite the drudgery I felt, my favorite part was grating nutmeg into the soup pot.  I did not want to stop!  So, I'm not sure how much I put in, but it sure was fun!
Anyway, it was a quick and easy soup to make since we already had roasted pumpkin pureed and ready to go, so within a matter of minutes, it was time for the dreaded taste test.  Grrrr...  At first, I was trembling.  My heart skipped a couple beats.  But much to my surprise, it tasted SOOOO good!  I was completely shocked!  This was nothing like my mom's Butternut Squash Soup or Carrot Soup that she has made me eat in the past.  It was a wonderful balance of pumpkin, warm spices and mapley sweetness!  It tasted kind of like pumpkin cookie dough, but in soup form! YUM!!!


Of course, like all creative cooks, we did not completely stick with the exact recipe.  First of all, we had to take out the dairy part.  Second, it's an unwritten law that you have to use cinnamon when cooking something with pumpkin!  So, here is what we did:


Pumpkin Soup
5 cups roasted pumpkin, with liquid
1 Tbsp chicken bouillon
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/8-1/4 tsp-ish fresh, grated nutmeg
1/4-1/2 tsp cinnamon
Salt to taste
1 Tbsp coconut cream (opt)

In a large pot, heat up the pumpkin and bouillon, mashing it up a bit with a potato masher.  You may need to add some more water to get your desired consistency.  We probably had about 2-3 cups of liquid from the pumpkin itself, and that seemed to be plenty.
Add the maple syrup, nutmeg and cinnamon and bring to a simmer.
Put the heated mixture into a blender and puree until smooth.
Stir in salt and coconut cream, if desired.

We tried it both before and after the coconut cream addition.  I think it tasted better without it, but my mom really liked it with it in.  I'm not a huge coconut fan, but it did add a hint of creaminess and richness... and coconut.