Pumpkin Soup for Hopey ! Or....Pumpkin, it's not just for pie anymore!!

Some of the biggest fans of my cooking have been the friends of my children who have eaten at our house over the years. We have always had extra places at our table for dinners, both routine and holiday.  One of my daughter Colleen's friends, Hope, came all the way from Florida to visit and ate dinner with us some time ago.  Now first I have to say that Hope is a really great woman and I am so jealous since she has my dream job - she is a midwife. Since she visited us, Hope has become one of my Facebook friends and I have to admit I really look forward to reading her updates about the many babies she delivers nearly every day.  Hope has become an honorary Dowd, even stopping in to visit my sister in law and niece when she and her husband took her dream trip to Ireland earlier this fall.

When Hope visited,  I honestly don't remember what I cooked, but Hope sure does. I made a Pumpkin-Chipotle Soup that she has been begging me for the recipe ever since.  I haven't been torturing her , but I made up the recipe, and I wanted to make it again to make sure I didn't give her a recipe for disaster. I actually made it in the interim but each time, I didn't think about writing down the ingredients until I was already halfway through. Well this past weekend when it was rainy and cool, I decided it was a perfect time to make Pumpkin Chipotle Soup and I was determined to capture the recipe so I could give it to Hope to recreate at home.

This is a wonderful soup recipe- a delicious meatless meal that is rich, but not heavy, with a touch of heat from the chipotle.  When we serve it, we top it with crumbled bacon, grated monterey jack cheese and french fried onions.It would also be great with a dollop of light sour cream.  I hope all of you will try it, but Hope, this one is for you and all the little pumpkins you deliver!! I guess it would be great for Autumn, too (maybe on Glee night!)

Pumpkin-Chipotle Soup

1 small onion chopped

2 tbs olive oil 

1 can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 quart chicken stock

1 quart fat free half and half (or real half and half if calories are no issue)

1/2-1 chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce(add a little at a time until you get the level of heat you want)

Optional garnishes: crumbled bacon, shredded monterey jack cheese, french fried onions

Saute the onion in the olive oil, until transparent. Add chicken stock. Stir in canned pumpkin with whisk until smooth. Add half and half in a slow stream,whisking into pumpkin mixture. Chop chipotle pepper very fine and add a little at a time, stirring and tasting after each addition to get to the heat you want. Heat through but do not bring to a boil. Ladle into bowls and top with garnishes as desired. Serve with bread and a salad for a delicious fall or winter meal.