- 6
Ingredients
- cups mashed cooked pumpkin, (click here for directions to prepare from a fresh pumpkin) IF you must use caned pumpkin, you can get organic canned pumpkin in a BPA-free can clock on the box at right:
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 large mild (sweet) onion, chopped
- 6 fresh carrots (finely chopped or grated)
- 3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
- one half teaspoon salt and dash of pepper
- 1 pint half-and-half (I use fat-free) If you want to go "au naturale" try your favorite milk instead (half and half gives it more body, though)
- 2 teaspoon thyme
- 4 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 stalks of celery (not 2 bunches!)
Preparation
Step 1
Step 1 - Cooked pumpkin
Yes, you can used canned pumpkin.. .but how do you know what it even is? It looks nasty (no insult meant to Libby's). But look at the fresh, bright color of fresh cooked pumpkin (there is NOTHING added to it, that's its natural color). It's easy to make your own from a fresh pumpkin - just click here for directions to prepare from a fresh pumpkin!
Step 2 - Gather the other ingredients
1 pint of half-and-half (I use the fat free type to keep this healthy) - If you can't get "Half and Half", here are some substitutes:
Half milk, half cream;
Evaporated milk;
7/8 cup milk + 1 1/2 tbsp butter;·
5% creams,
Milk (whole, not skimmed).
And the rest of the ingredients:
1 large onion
4 tablespoons parsley
(fresh is better, but not necessary)
6 fresh carrots (grated or finely chopped)
1 Tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons thyme
2 stalks of celery (not 2 bunches!)
Step 3 - chop the onion and celery
I use an electric chopper or food processor until the pieces are about 1/8 in size.
Step 4 - Sauté the onion and celery
Sauté the onion, celery and the grated carrots in butter until tender.
Step 5 - Add the rest of the ingredients
Add remaining ingredients except half-and-half. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Note: If you want to freeze the soup for use later, stop now and freeze it. When you are ready to use it, defrost it, heat it up and resume with step 6!
Step 6 - Add the half and half and serve!
Add half-and-half, and heat (on the stove on medium, while stirring, or a minute in the microwave). Serve warm. Makes 6-8 small servings.