a weekend of soups.

This weekend was a blissfully simple one. Following a week of hardly any sleep, two sets of auditions and callbacks, and late night pancakes with a whole new gang of comedy lovin kiddos. 

Soup number one: Panera’s French Onion.  Friday was full of naps, catching up on getting those well missed Zs, and Panera’s French Onion soup. I prefer to make my own soups, generally, but this one is not snubbed by a homemade vs. store bought snob such as myself.  The warm, hearty broth with melted parm creates the most indulgent experience reminding of fall back at home.

Soup number two: Lobster Bisque. My mother and father came up this weekend and split it with me. Incredibly rich; we could only take a few bites but it was heaven in its simplest. We had it for lunch, but I saved the rest and enjoyed it at dinner with a provolone, tomato, and sprout sandwich. Both occasions its was wonderful, but I’ll remember this soup when I ate with my parents in that lovely lil cafe.

Soup number three: Chicken Noodle. I woke up sick this morning…Ironically said sickness was not due to alcohol (although this could have been a slight factor) but simply a cold due to the rapid changes in season. Soup number three captures my love for my roommates, who so lovingly brought me a bowl of Chicken Noodle which we enjoyed while watching Fantastic Mr. Fox on our big green couches.

Anddddd soup number four!!! This one I made this evening. It was a Harvest Pumpkin Soup with Thyme and Goat Cheese Crumbles.

This soup is perfect for cool, crisp days when you are craving something pumpkiny. (a word? probz not) I enjoyed it with Jacob in our warm clothes across from each other at my little wooden table.

It gets me excited fo more fall treats, flannel shirts, and holding hands to stay warm. 

Here is the recipe for those who would like to try:

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tsp)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus extra as needed
• 2 cups water
• 1 (15-oz) can pure pumpkin purée
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• Goat cheese crumbles

Directions:

1. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin,mustard, cnnamon and nutmeg and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Stir in the broth, water,vanilla, pumpkin and maple syrup and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, or until the flavors have melded.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before working in batches to purée the soup in a blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Return the soup to a clean pot. Stir in the half-and-half. (additional broth may be added as necessary to adjust the soup’s consistency) Heat the soup gently over low heat until hot (do not boil). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle soup into serving bowls and sprinkle with goat cheese (if desired)

Enjoy :) I know I did.