Category: soup

Main entree · soup

Spicy Pumpkin Soup – A Different Angle on Pumpkin Spice!

RefreshHer4 Comments

pumpkin soup

I am not one who has jumped on the “Pumpkin Spice Everything” Bandwagon!  I like pumpkin just fine in a few things, but I’m not even crazy about the PS Creamers that most are wild over.  

So, when I saw a recipe for Spicy Pumpkin Soup in the recent issue of Southern Living, I was quite skeptical.  However, once I looked over the ingredients, I could tell that the pumpkin was not the main flavor in the soup.  It has Chicken broth  that smooths out the pumpkin flavor.  And rather than the spices that make pumpkin pie, the spice added is the heat of a chili pepper and adobo sauce.  The little bit of heat makes it perfect!  It also has smoked sausage, which I love, and black beans added to it, to round it out.  The result?  A lovely, creamy, soup that doesn’t shout, Pumpkin spice at you!

Here’s the recipe from Southern Living:

Ingredients

1 cup diced yellow onion
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 (29-oz.) can pumpkin
6 -6 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon adobo sauce from can
1 medium avocado, peeled and diced
1/2 cup whole buttermilk
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 ounces smoked sausage, sliced
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Preparation

1. Place onions, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, and 1 tsp. salt in a Dutch oven over medium heat; cover and cook 5 to 6 minutes or until translucent. Stir in garlic and cumin; cook 2 minutes. Whisk in pumpkin and 6 cups broth; add chipotle pepper and 1 Tbsp. adobo sauce. Increase heat to medium-high, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 12 minutes.

2. Process soup, in batches, in a food processor or blender 1 minute. Add up to 1/2 cup broth, 2 Tbsp. at a time, to reach desired consistency.

3. Process avocado, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt in a blender until smooth. Add up to 1/4 cup water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, to reach desired consistency. I personally didn’t think the soup needed the avodaco sauce.  It added no extra flavor – just a pretty dollop of color.  

4. Cook smoked sausage in remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Stir in black beans and paprika, and cook 1 minute. Ladle soup into serving bowls; top with sausage mixture and avocado cream.

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I trusted Southern Living’s good reputation, and I’m glad I did!  This was a nice supper and also made a delightful leftover for lunch the next day (I halved the recipe).  You need to try this – even if you’re like me and don’t LOVE Pumpkin Spice. I would definitely make this again!

Are you a Pumpkin Spice fan?  If so, how do you enjoy it?

With love from my country kitchen,

What’s Cookin’ in the Country? Sausage Corn Chowder!
Comfort Food · soup

What’s Cookin’ in the Country? Sausage Corn Chowder!

RefreshHer5 Comments
Sausage Corn Chowder
 


If you have a recipe in your recipe box that looks like the one in the picture above, you know, as I do that it is a keeper!  It has been pulled out and used many times.  It has stains, spills, and is dog-eared from much use.  This is my recipe from the 1988 issue of Midwest Living.  Yes.  I started cooking when I was five!  Ha!  To think that I had been married seven years and had two children and that it was 25 years ago seems ridiculous!  The one good thing about all this is the wonderful recipe that’s on that page!  It’s Corn-Sausage Chowder.  It’s been a favorite recipe of our family’s for all these years, making winter soup season a time to look forward to so we could enjoy this dish!

This recipe falls into my frugal recipes for Alli, too.  Coming in at about $5 for a pot, it’s an economical dish, as well as a super tasty one!  Aaaaaaaaand, you can have this ready in 30 minutes!

Sausage Corn Chowder

1 LB Bulk Pork Sausage
1 med onion
3 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2 cubes
2 cps water
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper
1 15 1/4 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
1 14 3/4 oz can cream style corn
1 12oz can evaporated milk

Preparation:
Crumble pork sausage into 4 qt dutch oven; cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. add onion; cook about 5 minutes more or until sausage is brown. Drain fat. Add cubed potatoes, water, seasonings, bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in the whole kernel corn, cream style corn and evaporated milk. heat chowder through.
6 Main dish servings

When I served this chowder recently, I also made Cheese-Garlic Biscuits.  Instead of buying the Bisquick, I made up my own baking mix.  It was so simple, and it saved me a trip to the store!

Homemade Baking Mix
6 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup vegetable shortening

Directions:
1. Sift flour, baking powder and salt three times into a large bowl.
2. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
3. Store mixture in airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 months.
4. Use whenever your recipe calls for “Bisquick mix”.

 
 
 

Cheese-Garlic Biscuits

Ingredients
2 cup(s) Bisquick biscuit mix
2/3 cup(s) milk
1/2 cup(s) cheddar cheese (shredded)
1/4 cup(s) butter (melted)
1/4 teaspoon(s) garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon(s) dried parsley

Preparation
Preheat oven to 450 degree. Mix biscuit mix, milk, and cheddar cheese until soft dough forms; beat vigorously for 30 seconds. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Mix melted butter, garlic powder, and dried parsley; brush generously over warm biscuits before removing from cookie sheet. Serve warm. Make 10-12 biscuits

Delicious.  Simple.  Frugal.  Fast.  What more could you want?  I hope you’ll make this recipe soon!  

Do you have a recipe that looks worn like mine because you’ve made it often?  What is it?

From my country kitchen,