CURRIED PUMPKIN AND CHEDDAR SOUP

CURRIED PUMPKIN AND CHEDDAR SOUP
One of our friends from church brought this soup to a soup swap we had last year and Olivia liked it so much she decided to try her hand at canning it.  This is NOT an approved canning recipe so if you make it you may choose not to can it or you may try it if you like experimenting with your home canning.  You may think that is a crazy statement, but if you have canned for a long time like Olivia and I have, you have a feel for what will and will not work.  You always err on the side of caution in processing times and make sure everything is clean, sterilized, and hot.  You also want to make sure everything seals.

This is an excellent savory soup and one that is sure to be a hit this autumn in your house.  If you have never tried home canning your own soup, I can tell you there is nothing better on a cold, winter day than opening a jar of soup and recalling the glory of summer.  Enjoy!
-Nanette

CURRIED PUMPKIN AND CHEDDAR SOUP

Combine the following in a large stock pot:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

Saute above ingredients in olive oil until the onion is translucent, or about eight minutes.

Add the following to the veggies and cook for about a minute:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon chopped garlic

Stir together and bring to a boil.

Add the following ingredients:

2 cups canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon sage

Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

At this point, you can stir the soup (making sure to get the veggies that settle at the bottom), and dish it up.  Serve it with cheddar cheese and croutons.  This is especially yummy with pumpernickel croutons.

If you want to can it, do not add the cheese and croutons (add those when you serve it), follow safe canning practices by ladling the soup into sterilized quart jars, cleaning the rims, adding the two pieces of the lid, and process in a pressure canner at 11 pounds (That's appropriate for my location.) for 90 minutes.  Allow to cool, check for seals, and store.  Bring to a boil for 10 minutes before serving.  Yum!