Peanut Butter Pumpkin Soup

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 cups pumpkin pie filling

2 cups pureed sweet potatoes

1 cup peanut butter

6 cups chicken or turkey broth

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

chopped chives for garnish

sour cream for garnish

Melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Stir in

pie filling, sweet potatoes and peanut butter. Add

broth, pepper and salt; stir well until smooth. Reduce

heat and simmer for 20 minutes. To serve, garnish soup

with chives and sour cream. Serves 8.

Thick Pumpkin Soup perfect for Bread Dipping

"Pumpkin soup is a soup made from a puree of pumpkin. It is made by combining the meat of a blended pumpkin with broth or stock. (In my case.... I also add cream cheese to make it thick and perfect for dipping crusty bread in)

It can be served hot or cold, and is a popular Thanksgiving dish in the United States. Various versions of the dish are known in many European countries, the United States and other areas of North America, and in Australia. (In fact... my Australian husband is the one who first made the soup for me and I fell in love with it!) Pumpkin soup was a staple for the prisoners of war in North Vietnamese prison camps during the Vietnam War."
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In the photo above:
This is a picture of my pumpkin soup served in a baked pumpkin bowl. Keep an eye out guys because I will do a post on how to bake the pumpkin bowls too. I also saved the pumpkin seeds when I scooped it out and make some crunchy treats. I have a few recipes for pumpkin seeds if your interested in that too. LOL.
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Remember this recipe for:

• National Pumpkin Month / October / here's my youtube video about it
• Halloween / October
• Thanksgiving / November
• National Soup Month / January
• National Homemade Soup Day / February 4

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Ingredients:

1 medium size butternut squash / pumpkin

8 oz cream cheese

yellow, red or green bell peppers

3 medium potatoes

1 large sweet onion diced

Chicken stock or water

1 stick of butter

salt and pepper

Sautee diced onions and bell peppers in the bottom of your soup pot.  When soft and translucent add your diced potatoes and butternut squash.  (if you bake the butternut squash first it does give a slightly different flavor / but both ways are great) 

Cover with as much chicken stock and water that it takes to cover all.

Cook on medium until all the veggies are soft and falling apart.

Use an emersion blender or put in an electric blender to blend smooth.

Place soup back into the pot and add your 8oz of cream cheese.

Stir until the cream cheese has melted and blended throughout the soup.

Taste.  If the soup tastes like it's to pasty... then you need to add another 8oz of cream cheese.  The size of your butternut squash/pumpkin and potatoes can change the taste slightly so you can adjust it by the amount of cream cheese that you use.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Turn heat down to low and cook for another 30 minutes.

We like the soup thick, smooth and creamy.

You can always thin it down with more liquid chicken stock if you like it thinner.

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Guys I really want you to try this soup. I kid you not; it's amazing! Thank you to my Australian hubby for introducing it to me many years ago.
"Live everyday like a holiday!"   Pam

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Red and White Turkey Chili Recipe

January is Soup Month and January 6 is National Bean Day so I picked this Pillsbury recipe to post in their honor. I don't know is this soup... is this chili... or is this stew? Oh well I'm posting it anyway in honor of soup and beans. :) I actually made this the day after New Years. I love any recipe that includes great northern beans and I had a cup of left over black eyed peas from New Years so I added that to it as well. It was actually really good and the brown and tan color scheme seemed warming some how. lol!  We at it in front of a blazing fireplace and enjoyed every bite.

Red and White Turkey Chili Recipe 
Originally uploaded by Pillsbury.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 can (15.5 oz) great northern beans, drained
1 can (15 oz) Progresso® dark red kidney beans, drained
2 cans (4.5 oz each) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles, undrained
3 1/2 cups Progresso® chicken broth
2 lb turkey thighs, skin removed
1 cup Green Giant® frozen white shoepeg corn, thawed
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup water
1 lime, cut into wedges, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

1. Spray 4- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients except turkey, corn, flour, water and lime in cooker. Place turkey on bean mixture. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 to 10 hours.

2. Place turkey on cutting board. Remove meat from bones; discard bones. Cut turkey into bite-size pieces. Add turkey and corn to cooker. In small bowl, mix flour and water; stir into turkey mixture. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 20 to 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated and slightly thickened.

Beer Cheese Soup Recipe

This recipe post is in honor of: January beings National Soup Month and National Soup Swap Month! The month of January even has a National Soup Swap Day too. And... February 4 is "Homemade Soup Day." How's that for soup season?

Beer Cheese Soup Recipe 
Originally uploaded by Pillsbury.com

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup quick-mixing flour
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
3 cups Progresso® chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
1 cup whipping cream
4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (16 oz)
1 can (12 oz) beer

DIRECTIONS:

1. In 4-quart Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add carrots, celery and onion; cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until celery and onions are transparent.

2. Stir in flour, paprika, black pepper and ground red pepper. Add broth; heat to boiling over medium heat. Boil and stir 1 minute.

3. Reduce heat; stir in whipping cream and cheese. Heat until cheese is melted, stirring occasionally. Stir in beer. If desired, serve with popcorn.

Gazpacho Recipe

Gazpacho is a soup served on National Gazpacho Day which is celebrated every December 6. On this day people are encouraged to gather together and enjoy this cold soup. 

By Javier Lastras  (Gazpacho con su Guarnición)

Gazpacho is a cold Spanish / Portuguese tomato-based raw vegetable soup, originating in the southern region of Andalucia. Gazpacho is widely consumed throughout Spain, neighboring Portugal (where it is known as gaspacho) and parts of Latin America. Gazpacho is mostly consumed during the summer months, due to its refreshing qualities and cold serving temperature. 

Gazpacho is a hearty soup that is served cold, making it a perfect way to cool down and replenish the body on a hot, summer day in Andalucía. This is the classic gazpacho recipe, but there are many other variations. Gazpacho is typically served along with the main course, or afterward. Some Spaniards serve it in a glass, as a beverage to accompany the meal.

Ingredients

• 1 lb /450 g tomatoes
• ½ lb / 225 g green peppers (bell pepper, capsicum)
• ½ cucumber
• clove of garlic
• 2 oz / 50 g white bread, 2-3 days old (also optional, leave out for a thinner soup)
• ½ mild Spanish onion
• 1 tbsp white or red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ⅓ pt / 2.4 dl iced water
• sea salt and black pepper
• ice cubes

Optional

• ¼ chilli pepper, seeds removed
• Cilantro

Garnish

• 1 tomato, skinned
• ½ green pepper
• ¼ peeled cucumber
• bread

Procedure

Skin the tomatoes and cut into quarters. Remove seeds and stalks from peppers. Peel the cucumber and cut into chunks. Tear up the bread and soak in the water for 30 minutes and then squeeze it dry. Cut up the onion.,

Blend all the ingredients until roughly chopped, not too fine, because the soup should have texture and discernible vegetable bits. Pour into large bowl with some ice, add salt and pepper. Then prepare the garnishes. Dice the bread and fry it in a little olive oil until brown. Chop the other vegetables finely. Serve in separate little bowls on the table, so that guests can sprinkle on their own toppings.
Serve chilled.