I walked by the back stairs where the last of the pumpkins are stored and saw this. THIS did not happen overnight. When was the last time I checked the pumpkins?

I do not like to waste food. I’m not talking about the lost-in-the-back-of-the-refrigerator kind of wasted food. That happens to us all from time to time. I’m talking about the I-planted-weeded-mulched-watered-harvested kind of waste. We grow food to eat and to give away, and if we have too much to eat before it spoils, I should give more away, for goodness sake.

This is the season of starting seeds in the house, and I am throwing pumpkin into the compost bin. Blaah.

 In the interest of cooking every remaining pumpkin today, let’s make soup.

Pumpkin Cranberry Soup
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 cup Onion, chopped
6 cups Pumpkin, peeled and cubed
3 cups Vegetable Broth
1/2 teaspoon Salt (or more to taste)
Black Pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1 can Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce (or 2 cups homemade)

Cook onion in butter until tender.

Add pumpkin, broth, salt, pepper, cinnamon and ginger. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low until pumpkin is tender.

Puree in a blender. Return to pot. Stir in cranberry sauce and reheat slowly.

For a similar soup, substitute sweet potato or squash for the pumpkin. For a heartier soup, add 1 cubed potato to cook with the pumpkin. Stir in several tablespoons of light cream to pureed soup before reheating.

This lovely, creamy soup is true comfort food. Make it tonight and enjoy, and for goodness sake, give some away.