Pumpkin Soup

I found this recipe in my Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2006 Cookbook. I wanted to make it last week, but kept putting if off. Looking back, that is a shame. This is a great soup. I made it for lunch on Sunday and it pleased the masses. By the masses, I mean Mike. But, I will take the compliments where I can get them. Normally lunches on the weekend consist of making a quick salad. This was a good change for us.

The original recipe called for 1/3 cup bourbon. Bourbon is not something we keep in the house nor drink. Therefore, I omitted it from the recipe. Also, vegetarians can use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth.

1 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon of ginger
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 minced garlic cloves
1 1/2 cups of apple cider
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 (29 oz) can pumpkin
14 oz chicken broth or vegetable if you prefer a vegetarian option
2 cups 2% milk
1 teaspoon flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
sour cream

1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray if it is not non-stick. Add onion, ginger, cumin, and garlic; saute 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in cider and next three ingredients (if you are using bourbon, stir that in as well). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
2. Place half of pumpkin mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed mixture into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining pumpkin mixture. Return pureed mixture to pan. Stir in milk, flour, salt, and pepper; cook until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently.
   
3. Serve with a dollop of sour cream in each bowl.
   

I think that the sour cream adds to the soup. It adds that certain something that the soup craves.