Recipe: Tomato Pumpkin Soup

Despite highs still clinging to the 90's, the sight of Halloween and Fall decor everywhere, along with the amazing harvest super moon, has got me in the spirit of the season.  I love Autumn.  Hands down my favorite season.  And while I'm not opposed to eating soup even when it's blazing in the 100's, it just is that much better when at least the thought of cooler weather is at hand.  Eventually I'll make it further North and enjoy true Autumn, colored leaves and all, but until then I'll just think happy, cool, crisp thoughts.

So Fall typically means pumpkin recipes.  I love pumpkin recipes, but that usually means desserts, and I'm trying to behave somewhat.  Save up my calories for the revelries to come, if you will.  However, in the last couple years I've found I can add pumpkin to some different savory dishes with excellent results.  While you don't really taste the pumpkin in some of them, it gives an added heartiness that keeps me feeling fuller than I might have otherwise.

This time, I thought I'd put it in soup.  Tomato soup.  I only started liking the stuff recently, and  never out of a can.  Canned stuff tastes like ketchup to me, and I really, really dislike ketchup.  This is more akin to pasta sauce turned soup.  With pesto as the prime seasoning, this soup was rich and filling without the calories that creamy soups tend to have.  I served it up with some cornbread, and it was excellent.

Now, as far as ingredients go, I just use canned.  I haven't reached the point of making my own tomato sauce yet, but maybe eventually.  It would definitely kick this recipe up a notch, but the nice thing about canned is it's cheap and convenient.  The special ingredient, pesto, is probably the biggest investment (which is still only a couple bucks), but you only need a little, and can use the rest as either a sauce as intended, or to flavor other recipes.  I love having it around.

The best part of this recipe isn't even how ridiculously cheap it is to make.  It's the ease and speed of it's creation.  It's ready to eat in less than 20 minutes, and can sit at a low heat for a while if need be.  I just turned my burner to the lowest I could and let it sit while cornbread cooked.  Here's the recipe:

2 29 oz cans Tomato Sauce (+1 can full of water)

1 15 oz can Pumpkin Puree

1 cup Milk

1 1/2 tbsp Pesto

1/2 tsp Celery Salt

1/2 tsp Sage

Salt and Pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in a large pot, and bring to a simmer on medium high heat.  Reduce heat to medium low, and allow to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.  Serve and enjoy.

Lunch Box: Combo 1

So it's been a bit since I posted.  To be honest, food has been whatever can be made quickly and simply by me, or made by my husband.  I've been working on a big project, and cooking got put on the back burner.  Lunches in particular have suffered, so this week I made a point in fixing that.

I thought it was a good topic for posts.  Lunches that could be assembled fairly easily and quickly, but still at least fairly healthy and quite delicious.  I hear so many people saying that they don't have time to do packed lunches, but is that really true?  With some simple prep work, making lunches doesn't take much time at all.  It took me less than ten minutes to assemble two of the lunches below.

Half a large peach, cottage cheese, and a BLT wrap.  By washing produce and cooking bacon ahead of time, the only thing I need to do is put everything in a tortilla and wrap it up.  A quick slicing for the peach, and a couple scoops of cottage cheese, and you have a very satisfying lunch.

Now don't get me wrong, sometimes I toss a can of something or a power bar into a bag, and call it a day, but this is way better.  Healthier and more filling than vending machine snacks, and cheaper than the cost of driving to grab fast food.  So for those who want a meal that can be brought on the go which will sate both appetite and wallet, keep an eye out for more lunch combos in the future!