Autumn Spice Pumpkin Soup

This turned out a bit thicker than I like my soups, but it was still great. However, it had so many yummy spices that I added chicken chunks to it and poured it over rice as more of an Indian dish. I love my Indian food!!!

2 small cans pumpkin

2 T. olive oil

1 c. onion, diced

3 T. minced fresh ginger

24 oz chicken broth

4 T. apple juice concentrate

1 tart apple, diced

4 T. maple syrup

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. ground thyme

1 T. cinnamon

2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. pure vanilla

1/2 tsp ground clove

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 c. cream (I generally just use milk)

Saute onion and ginger in olive oil until onions are translucent. Add remaining ingredients except cream and simmer for about 1 hour. (Remove bay leaves unless you like pokey pieces in your food.) Use either an immersion blender or pour soup into blender and puree with cream. Serve warm over rice with cooked chicken chucks or as a soup. OR eat it as soup one day and use the leftovers with the rice the next day!! 2 for 1 meals!!

Corn Chowder

It's fall, and I'm craving warm soups. Jared and I liked this corn chowder I made.

3/4 C. water, divided

1 small onion

1/2 C. Chopped red bell pepper

1 can cream-style corn

16 oz. frozen corn

1 C. chopped, boiled potato (could use hash browns)

1 C. chopped, boiled carrots

1 can (12 oz.) Evaporated milk

3 Chicken bouillon cubes

1 T. fresh basil

3-5 strips fried bacon, chopped

*can use 8 oz. frozen peeled, cooked shrimp

Bring 1/4 C. water to boil in large saucepan. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook until tender. Add remaining water, corn, evaporated milk, bouillon, potatoes, carrots, and bacon. Bring to a boil. Reduce to low. Cook 15 minutes, stirring frequently. If you want shrimp, add now and cook for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with basil.

Roasted Tomato and Black Bean Soup

I'm not a huge soup fan, but this was really good! I found it in Reader's Digest.

7 med. tomatoes, quartered

1 lg. onion, large pieces

3 garlic cloves

2 T. olive oil

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

5 c. chicken broth

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 t. cumin

1 t. chili powder

1/4 t. hot pepper sauce (I substituted 3-4 slices of jalapenos and a dash of cayenne pepper)

1/4 c. sour cream

1/4 c. chopped cilantro

Toss tomatoes, onion, garlic, oil, 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper. Place on baking sheet and roast until garlic has softened, onion edges are brown, and tomatoes collapsed (about 35-40 minutes) stirring once after 20 minutes. Transfer to 4 qt. pan. Add broth, beans, cumin, chili powder, and remaining salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Then blend until smooth with a blender. (I have a hand blender that I could just stick in the pan or else you have to transfer it to a regular blender.) Stir in hot sauce. Garnish with cilantro and sour cream. Guten Appetit!