Autumn Inspired Dish: Pumpkin Soup

Aside from making dozens of pumpkin pies, breads, and cakes, pumpkins can also be used in savory dishes as well. One of them is soup or chowder (as my version is thicker)! Have you ever tried pumpkin soup? I will admit that this video is my first EVER attempt at making it, and I have to say that I really do like it...it has a lovely thick and creamy consistency, and the flavors give it a very exotic, yet down-to-earth taste.

My inspiration recipe came from a book called Five-A-Day: Fruit & Vegetable Cookbook, by Kate Whiteman, Maggie Mathew, and Christine Ingram. I bought this book a few years ago as it looked like a great book for getting back into a healthy eating habit, and what better way to do that than to find inspiration in a pretty cookbook?

I used their version of the pumpkin soup recipe as a base for mine, but as I went along, I decided to add in my own ingredients, substitutions, and changed it around a bit. I am very pleased with how this turned out! It has such a lovely, light flavor of pumpkin, mixed in with the very woody nutmeg flavor, and a creamy semisweet milk based broth. So delicious!

Here's the video tutorial:

Here are all the ingredients for MY version of the pumpkin soup recipe:

1-2 Tbs. (15-24 mL) olive oil (or sunflower, canola, etc.)

1 Tbs. (15 mL) butter

Half of a medium-sized sweet onion

 Saute onions.

Approx. 3/4 lb-1 lb (150-225 g) Yukon Gold potato (or a soft, sweet variety)

Approx. 1 lb (450 g) of a sweet potato, cubed

1-1 1/2 cups (240-360 mL) of cooked, pureed pumpkin

Cook potatoes and pumpkin.

2 cups (475 mL) water with 4 Tbs (60 mL) white vinegar

Add as a broth.

Seasoning:

Nutmeg (to taste)

1 tsp. (5 mL) thyme

Salt and Pepper to taste

Tabasco sauce to taste

*optional* 

1 cup (240 mL) pureed acorn squash with butter, olive oil, and stevia (no recipe, just done by taste)

Puree everything in a food processor or blender. 

2 Tbs. (30 mL) fresh lemon juice

1 pint (2 cups)(600mL) milk (1% or higher is best for creamier texture/flavor)

Last of the broth.

2/3 cup (100 g) chopped yellow bell pepper

2/3 cup (100 g) yellow corn kernels

For texture and flavoring (optional).

Let me know what you think! I hope you enjoy the crisp fall weather and I'll have another tutorial coming soon!

Warm soup and a cuddling blanket,

Emmy

Warm Thai Peanut Noodles (Soooo delish!)

Okay, so I am a bit late on getting this blog typed and uploaded. It has been a hectic week...Busy going through my file cabinet and trying to reorganize it all. Over the past five years I have accumulated so many papers with school, work, bills...etc. etc. that it began to overflow ...like a cascading waterfall...out into other drawers and counters. Not so bueno. So I made a point to rid myself of paper clutter! While my life is getting clutter-free, I've neglected my new blogs...Oooopsies. haha. 

Anyway, per the request of one awesome YouTuber, whose username is ItsJudyTime, (you know her?! great!) I uploaded a cooking tutorial video to my new All Things Emmy channel. (And just for the 411, I didn't delete my emalyce89 account, nor am I not going to be uploading videos anymore, but rather I am rearranging my content. My main account got a little cluttered with random videos. I wanted to organize my channels by topic to help you guys, my amazing viewers, to decide what you're more interested in and stick to that...so for anything beauty and fashion related, please check out my main website, www.simplybellezza.com or YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/simplybmakeup; and for my Christian blog, check out www.emalyce89.blogspot.com)

So, without further ado, here's the infamous deliciousness recipe! (and scroll down to the very bottom for my cooking tutorial video!)

Ingredients (feeds 2 people...depending on appetite!)

*2 button mushrooms, sliced (or fewer depending on your preference)

 1/4-1/2 cup of grated carrots (I used baby carrots; please use what you like)

1 shallot (or about 1/8 cup of diced red onion)

Peanut Sauce:

 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter

2 tsp. soy sauce

1/2 tsp (or less) ground ginger

*1/2 tsp. (or more) crushed red pepper (SPICY!)

1-2 TBS. pureed herb blend (Thai flavor) (I used Gourmet Garden)

Other

1 TBS. peanut, olive, or coconut oil

2 oz. angel hair pasta

*optional

Preparation:

1. Dice mushrooms and set aside.

2. Grate carrots if not previously done; mix with mushrooms.

3. Dice up shallot or red onion; mix in with vegetables.

4. In separate bowl, combine chunky peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger, red peppers, and Thai pureed herb blend. Mix it well and set aside.

5. In medium saucepan, fill with water about 1/2 way. Add in oil. Set to boil.

6. Once water is boiling, place the noodles in to cook...takes about 3-5 minutes. 

7. Drain all but about 2 TBS of the hot water.

8. Toss vegetables in with noodles, adding the peanut sauce. Add the hot water to melt the peanut sauce over the noodles. Continue tossing until well-mixed.

9. Let sit for about 3-5 minutes so the peanut butter sauce has a chance to set. The flavors will saturate the noodles.

10. Enjoy!

Please comment, rate, and subscribe to my videos and blog for more awesome, delicious yumminess! Oh, and don't forget to vote in my poll for the recipes you want to see next!

Hope you all have a super scrumpdiddlyumptious day!

Your Emmy.