Brrr it's Fall....the perfect time of year for cooking with Pumpkin!!!!

Wow, I've certainly been slacking big-time on my plan to update this thing more often. Oops!  Well, what better way to make a come back than by sharing a recipe that I just concocted about an hour ago! One of my favorite things to do when I have the time is to experiment in the kitchen. Whether trying out a brand new recipe, tweaking an old one, or just perusing my cabinets and concocting something out of the ingredients that I have on hand, cooking experiments are oh so much fun! Fall recipes are my absolute favorite (especially ones that include pumpkin or butternut squash!), and since my pantry was already well-stocked with canned pumpkin, tonight I decided to raid my spice cabinet and create a new pumpkin soup recipe. Certain people tend to think that I have unique tastebuds, so this recipe might not be ideal for many of you, but if you do decide to try it out, please share your feedback! :)

Juliana’s Homemade Pumpkin Soup Recipe

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 (15 oz.) cans pure pumpkin
• 2 1/2 cups organic low-sodium vegetable broth (from 32 oz. carton)
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup nonfat half & half
• 1 tbsp sugar-free maple syrup
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 pinch cajun seasoning
• 1 large pinch chili powder
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pinch salt

Directions:
Saute onion and garlic with olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in pumpkin, vegetable broth, milk, half & half, bay leaf, and maple syrup. Add garlic powder, cajun seasoning, chili powder, parsley, black pepper, and salt.

Bring mixture to boiling, then turn back down and simmer on low for about 15 minutes, or until heated through and of desired consistency (mine was pretty thick, but that's how I prefer it). Remove bay leaf from soup and serve.

Makes approx. 4 servings

The final product....fresh off the stove-top

I garnished mine with more parsley and freshly ground black pepper (Can you tell I'm a little obsessed with freshly ground black pepper?....I think I enjoy using the grinder too much! Haha).