'Tis the season for pumpkin.

Soooooo much pumpkin.

My husband likes to remind me every fall that he's not on the "pumpkin spice fan train," but I always respond with:

What is wrong with you?

If you're like him, and you're not a HUGE fan of pumpkin but you like curry so you thought you'd check this out-- you've mad a wise decision.

Every year I stick this on our little food planner on the refrigerator at some point, every year my husband groans, and then when he comes home for dinner, he's awe-stricken.

This soup is amazing whether you're a pumpkin fan or not.

Pumpkin Curry Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

- 1-2 T Olive Oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped (I usually use white)
- 3 C Vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1-2 cans of black beans, drained
- 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- 1 C heavy cream (I have used anything from coconut milk to half & half to the actual cream and all taste good to me!)
- 1 Tbsp curry
- 1.5 tsp cumin (I usually reduce this to 1 tsp of the kiddos are partaking!)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne (I usually only add this if I know the kiddos won't be eating it, but 9/10 they do.)
salt to taste
chives for garnish, if desired


Directions:

- Using a large pot, sauté the onions in the olive oil until nearly clear and oil is not visible.
- Add your broth/stock, tomatoes, black beans, and pumpkin. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add your cream/milk and spices.
- Bring to a slow boil again before reducing heat to low. Option to serve immediately or sit, with random stirrings, as long as needed.
- Garnish with green onions (so yummy, just not pictured) and enjoy!

It's been strangely "cold" in Arizona this winter season and I think I'm one of the few not complaining. At first I was a little concerned being home for the holidays, since home would usually mean shorts and maybe a sweatshirt. However, this year we got to flip the heat on and actually pull our jeans and light coats out of storage.

Since it's been abnormal weather, I've also pulled out some old recipes. This favorite is a Christmas Eve tradition, coming from my side of the family. It's perfect for sweater weather, and to me it tastes like the holidays. So if you're a little hung over from the bliss now that you've gone back to work, this is a home-cooked cure for those blues!


Ingredients:

- 1 medium white onion

- 4 stalks of celery

- 1 green pepper

- 3 TBLSP olive oil

- 1/3 C flour

- 8 C of chicken or vegetable stock/broth

- 1 bag of Uncle Ben's (or any other brand) Wild Rice Soup (the bag is easy because you can stick it in the microwave to cook it right before you need it. If you get the box or what have you, make sure to have sufficient time to cook it!)

- 1 TBLSP parsley

- 1 tsp black pepper


Directions:

- Chop up the green pepper, onion, and celery. You can either puree these in a food processor with the olive oil to make the soup thicker, or you can chop up the veggies extraordinarily finely. I have always (except once) opted to puree them, but it does work either way.

- Sautee your veggies, whichever way you prepared them, in a deep pot. Cook them for about two to three minutes, then add the flour. Mix this thoroughly until there are no separate clumps.

- Add the water or chicken broth. Cook on Medium to Medium-High heat and mix constantly until it thickens. You have to keep at it, which can be time consuming, but it will be like lumpy porridge if you don't.

- Once the mix has come to a slow boil, add the cooked rice. Mix this until the rice is distributed nicely, then add the pepper and parsley.

- Turn the soup on low, cover it, and let it simmer for around twenty minutes. Make sure to check on it and stir it as many times as possible.


This goes wonderfully with baguettes or crackers of your choosing! Also, for an extra treat: add some bacon bits. I promise you'll thank me later.

I was so excited about this soup. After going apple picking and finding butternut squash at the store, I knew I had to have something that incorporated both. But who thinks of putting apples in soup?! I didn't until I saw this recipe on Parents, and boy did I find myself inspired.

Ingredients:

- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 to 1 C chopped carrots (I used closer to 1 C)
- 1/2 C chopped onion
- 1.5 lb butternut squash, cut into cubes
- 2 medium apples (I used Golden Delicious), cored and cut into pieces
- 3 to 4 C low-sodium chicken broth
Ground black pepper to taste
Whole grain crouton

Directions:

- Heat your olive oil in a large pot over medium/medium-high heat. Add your onion and carrot, cooking for around 8 to 10 minutes (or until tender and slightly brown).

- Add the squash, apple, and broth. Bring to boiling, then reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for around 20 minutes or until squash is tender.

*Note: I used 4 C broth and this made the soup, well, "brothy". If you want it to be a thicker consistency, I would use around 3 C.*

- Puree the soup, in batches if necessary, in a blender or food processor (I used my blender).

Serve with pepper to taste and some yummy croutons. Perfectly for cool, autumn evenings!

This soup is to die for. Seriously. When I was younger my mom made this amazing potato soup, but it was in a class of its own. This one is the same way. By that I mean a class in its own. It's ok for me to brag, since I borrowed this recipe from Mama Loves Food! You should really check out that blog! I did, of course, change a few things here and there to give it my special touch. Hoping that made some of a difference!

Ingredients:

- 4 lbs red potatoes, chopped into cubes
I bought a five pound bag, but it was a bit much for my crock pot. Plus, this made the flavor go that much farther.
- 1 onion, quartered
- 5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 heaping tsp garlic salt
- 8 C chicken stock/ water + chicken bouillon
- 16 oz low fat or fat free cream cheese
- 1/2 package of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Optional: Cheddar Cheese and Chives

Directions:

- Put your chopped up potatoes in your crock pot, along with the onion, garlic, garlic salt, and chicken bouillon. Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours.

- After 4 to 6 hours, remove 1/3 to half of the potatoes (around three to four cups, I'd say). Try to get as much, if not all, of the onion as well. Put it into a blender along with the 16 oz of cream cheese.

- Blend until you have a nice, creamy mix.

- Put this back into your crock pot and mix well. Add the bacon crumbles. Let this cook for another 30 minutes to an hour on low. Make sure to check on it and stir occasionally.

If you're a vegetarian, just leave the bacon out and maybe add a bit more salt! Or use a bacon substitute!

- Serve with your cut up scallions and cheddar cheese to make it even more tasty!

Want some more delicious soup recipes? Check these out!

Black Bean Soup

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup


Bean and Bacon Soup


Easy Taco Soup

Autumn is the time for soups! For some reason, it's so much more delicious to have taco soup rather than just plain tacos. If you don't think you agree, make this recipe and then get back to me! It's super easy and delicious.

Ingredients:

- 1 lb hamburger, or ground turkey
- 3 tbsp low sodium taco seasoning
- 1 can black beans (I believe it's 15 oz or so; same applies to all "canned" ingredients.)
- 1 can corn kernels
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 1/2 red and 1/2 yellow bell peppers, chopped finely
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/8 tsp chili pepper
- 8 C water + 3 tsp beef bouillon
tortilla strips
If you don't want it "spicey", leave out the last three ingredients! Also, if you want to add an onion, it may kick up the flavor!

Directions:

- Brown you hamburger. Season with the cumin, cayenne, and chili if you want it a little bit spicier.
- Place your hamburger in a large pot, along with the water, taco seasoning, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce for simmer. Let simmer for one to two hours.
It does taste better if you let it simmer for a LONG time. Like, four to five hours. However, it's not entirely necessary!

- Serve warm. Top with anything from tortilla chips to sour cream! It's that easy and delicious!

(Sorry for the rather dreadful pictures. Fussy baby = rushing mama.)

This tomato soup is going on the list for Autumn. While it definitely hit the spot when we ate it for dinner, I imagined it going wonderfully with leaves falling from the trees. Oh, Fall... I am so ready for you.

Ingredients:

- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 4 C chicken broth (or water with chicken bouillon)
- Two sprigs of fresh basil (or 1/4 to 1/3 C dry basil)
- 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 tsp dry Oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 to 1/2 C finely chopped celery
- 1 bay leaf

- 1/2 C butter
- 1/2 C flour
- 1 C fat free half & half
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- pinch of salt

Directions:

*This recipe is prepared in a crock pot/slow cooker and takes quite a while to cook. Make sure you start it early enough!*

- Combine your crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, 1 sprig of basil, red pepper flakes, oregano, garlic salt, onion powder, celery, and bay leaf in your crock pot.
- Cook on low for 5 to 7 hours (I cooked mine for 5 1/2) until all the ingredients are well combined and the celery is nice and soft.
- Next you're going to make a "roux", about 30 to 40 minutes before you want to serve it. In a saucepan or large pot, melt your 1/2 C butter. Add the flour and whisk until well combined. Next add 1 C of your prepared soup, consistently stirring.

-After that is well combined, add another 3 C of soup. Make sure you stir all of this for at least five minutes total.
- Return the "new soup" to your crockpot and mix in the half * half, black pepper, salt, and your second sprig of basil. Cook for another 30 minutes.

Serve with some Parmesan sprinkled on top to add some extra flavor! Goes great with just about anything.




For the original recipe this was adapted from, go HERE :).