Kitchen Guy

Easy and unusual Thanksgiving first course soup.

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

1 28-oz. can pure pumpkin

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 Tbsp. each of ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 can chicken broth

6 cups warm water

1 Russet potato, cut into 1-inch dice

salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion in butter or oil in soup pot. Add spices and garlic  when onion has turned golden and cook for another minute. Add pumpkin and chicken broth and cook until warmed. Add potato, and water, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for at least 20 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender.

Use a stick blender to puree soup in pot or ladle two or three cups at a time into a blender and carefully puree, as hot liquids expand and splatter.

Serve in a tureen or directly into soup bowls. You can garnish by mixing sour cream with some half and half in a squeeze bottle with a narrow tip to make “squiggles” on the soup’s surface. Another added touch is toasted and spiced pumpkin seeds (pepitas).

Boo! It’s delicious! It’s easy! And it’s a great seasonal treat made with pumpkin and spice.

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 15-oz. can solid pack pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
4 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup raisins
6 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter at room temperature
Red food coloring
Yellow food coloring

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a rectangular baking pan. Stir flour, sugar, baking soda and baking powder, salt and spices in a mixer. Add pumpkin, eggs and oil and beat until well blended. Stop the mixer and fold in the raisins.

Spread the batter in the prepared baking pan and bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack.

Make the icing by beating cream cheese, powdered sugar and butter in a medium bowl. Use a drop or two of red food coloring and a drop or two of yellow food coloring to tint the icing orange. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and refrigerate shortly to help set. Cut and serve.