Pumpkin Cheddar Soup

This soup is simply perfect for fall!  I have made it several times and each time I do, people rave about it and ask for the recipe.  It is our daughter's favourite soup and she made it for dinner this weekend.  You can use fresh pumpkin (see how to below) or canned, and if you want to be really fancy, you can serve the soup in a hollowed out pumpkin.

 Ingredients
2 Tb. butter

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, thinly sliced

2 cups cooked pumpkin puree (see note below)

5 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. each pepper and cayenne

1 bay leaf

1 cup milk

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

croutons (optional)

Method

In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Cook onion and carrot for 10 minutes, stirring often, until softened.

Stir in pumpkin, stock, ginger, salt, pepper, cayenne, and bay leaf.  Increase heat to high; bring to boil.  Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes, until vegetables are very soft.  Discard bay leaf.  (Alternately, this can be put in a slow cooker for several hours).

Puree soup.  Stir in milk and cheese until melted.  Garnish with croutons, if desired. 

If you have a fresh pumpkin, you can slice it in half, scoop out the seeds, and bake it in the oven at 350 degrees f. until the flesh is soft.  Scoop out the flesh, cool, and puree.  

If you are using canned pumpkin, make sure it is pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.