Steaks & Sprouts: • PUMPKIN SOUP 2 WAYS •

It's that time of the year and pumpkins are everywhere {we're not complaining}. Before you know it, Thanksgiving will be rearing it's head around the corner of your kitchen. To kick off the festivities, we're sharing two of our favorite pumpkin soup recipes: they're both delicious and nutritious. So curl up with a bowl and enjoy the crisp, cool autumn nights.

Who doesn't love soup in the fall?! This recipe actually came about rather haphazardly. I had just finished the fig spread and was snacking on the results {crusty bread, port salut cheese and the fruits 'figs' of my labor}. For once, I actually had a few hours to myself and was all caught up on my trashy reality TV shows {don't judge} and was at a good stopping point in my book so I didn't really have much to do until my son came home. Monica and I had already discussed making pumpkin soup because we both had small sugar pumpkins from the pumpkin patch. So I thought I'd whip up some pumpkin soup and have dinner ready early. I was debating which route to go with the soup - sweet(ish) or savory. The kitchen wasn't quite clean from the fig spread, so there was cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and cloves on the counter - problem solved. I sauteed the veggies in a little butter, added the stock and adjusted the seasoning perfectly. The result was a sweeter but still hearty and completely satisfying soup that would be a perfect precursor to any Thanksgiving feast. To top it all off, I toasted slivered almonds in a little cinnamon and sprinkled them over top to add just the right amount of crunch.

Viogner was a perfect match!

I Fall to Pieces - Patsy Cline
The First Cut is the Deepest - Cat Stevens
Somebody That I Used to Know - Elliot Smith
La Cienaga Just Smiled - Ryan Adams
Lingering Still - She & Him