Pumpkin Soup - Gluten-Free

3 words......Easy, Delicious, Decadent.

I've never been tempted to make Pumpkin Soup before.  To be honest, it's always intimidated me.  I know, me intimidated?  Right?!  It happens to the best of us, folks.  So, here's how I decided to make Pumpkin Soup....

My daughter's class had a Pumpkin and Apple day as they wrapped up learning about both fruits.  We were given a list and my eye went right past all the pumpkin and apple muffins, cookies and pie and right to "pumpkin soup."  I'm the crock-pot lady, right?  The crock-pot lady has a reputation to uphold, so I had to bring something in a slow-cooker!  LOL  Seriously.  I'm that strange, I know.

All of the kids in Ella's class tried the soup.  50% liked it and 50% didn't.  I'm completely impressed that these 5-year-olds all tried it!  It was exactly the reaction I was expecting because it's probably not the normal texture of soup they're used to.

With all that being said, this soup was incredibly delicious.  It was smooth, creamy, decadent, sweet and comforting!  Most importantly, it was pumpkiny!!!  (I just made that word up.)

This would be a great appetizer to serve all your guests on Thanksgiving!  You could even serve it in hallowed out pie pumpkins!  How pretty would that be?!

*Note: I apologize for not having pictures for the entire recipe.  My camera died during this process.  Frustrating, but that's just how it goes!  LOL

Servings: 8-10

Ingredients:

(2) 29oz. cans pumpkin puree

2 tsp. vegetable bouillon powder (or 2 cups vegetable broth/stock)

2 cups water (don't add if using vegetable broth/stock)

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 cup maple syrup

1 cup natural applesauce

1 quart heavy cream

Directions: (Use a 5 Quart or larger slow cooker for this recipe)

In your crock, add the pumpkin puree, vegetable bouillon powder and water.

Add the nutmeg and cinnamon

 applesauce and maple syrup.

(This is the point in which my camera died)

Stir it up and cook it on low for 6 hours, or on HIGH for 3 hours.

When it is cooked, ladle out about 3 cups of the soup into a bowl and SLOWLY blend in the cream with an immersion blender.  If you don't have an immersion blender, use your blender or a good whisk.  What you want to do is temper the cream so it does not curdle in the soup.  

Continue adding the cream until it's all in.

SLOWLY pour this tempered cream mixture into the soup in your slow cooker, again, using your immersion blender or a good whisk.

Let it warm back up a bit on WARM, then serve and enjoy!