Best Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Directions:

1. For fresh pumpkin:
2. Wash the exterior of the pumpkin in cool or warm water, no soap.
3. Cut the pumpkin in half and scrape the insides.
4. I find a heavy ice cream scoop works great for this.
5. Remove the stem, and put the pumpkin into a microwaveable.
6. You may need to cut the pumpkin further to make it fit but try to keep in as big a piece as possible for ease of removing the pumpkin meat.
7. Put a couple of inches of water in the bowl, cover it, and put in the microwave
8. Cook the pumpkin until soft, usually anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes depending on size.
9. Soup:
10. In large soup pot, Saute onions, garlic, celery in butter until tender.
11. Add stock,pumpkin and carrots and bring to a boil.
12. Lower heat and cook until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.
13. Puree soup in small batches in blender or food processor until smooth.
14. Return to pot and add thyme, cumin, parsley, and cracked pepper and bring to another boil.
15. Lower heat to low, stir in half and half,green onions, and bacon and season with salt to taste.
16. Continue to cook on low heat for another 10 to 15 minutes.
17. Stir in heavy cream.
18. Spoon into individual soup bowls or in soup tureen.
19. Top with a little sour cream and roasted pumpkin seeds or additional green onions and bacon bits.