Pumpkin

So a friend of mine likes to bake. I like to cook. We live about 15 min apart and decided the only logical thing to do is have a cooking party where we cook and bake themed meals. It's so much fun. Normally I don't like cooking with other people, but this woman fancies herself Julia Child, so I knew it'd be okay. The cool thing is, we decided the best thing to do is exchange recipe cards when we're making our meals. Fabulous, right?

So this week it was pumpkin. She definitely did more than me but it was fun. We had pumpkin soup (recipe below), spicy green salad with pumpkin vinaigrette, pumpkin cornbread and pumpkin cookies. We learned that smoked gouda goes wonderfully with a pumpkin vinaigrette. It was fun. Plus, we ate and had enough leftovers for us and our SOs to have dinner again tonight. I wonder what next week will be!

Pumpkin Soup
1 lb sausage (like the breakfast kind that you can make patties out of, make sure it's the kind you cook though)
1 onion
3 tbs butter
1 and 1/2 lbs pumpkin puree (so 1 16 oz can and one 8oz)
1 tsp dried thyme (little more if you have fresh)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup (not that fake syrup but maple. go without if you don't have it)
7 cups chicken stock
3/4 c cream (i used table cream because andrew isn't allergic to it, any cream would work really)
salt and pepper to taste

cook the sausage in 2 tbs butter on medium heat. once it is almost done, add the chopped onion and cook until it's soft, then reduce heat to medium low. Add the pumpkin puree and thyme and cook 5-7min. Add the chicken stock, brown sugar and syrup, mix well, sprinkle salt and cover. Reduce heat to low and cook for 45 min, stirring occasionally. Turn heat off and transfer small batches into the blender and puree the soup (don't add too much at a time, fill 3/4 of the way or it'll explode). Return the pureed soup back to the pot, stir in the 1tbs of butter and the cream. It should still be hot, so no need to turn the heat back on. If you do, heat the soup but do not let it reach a boil. Salt and pepper to taste.

This was really excellent with shredded smoked gouda on top. Otherwise, serve with a hunk of crusty bread. Very satisfying.