5 Fall soups to warm your heart...and your belly!

• 1 large sugar or pie pumpkin cut half and seeds removed and reserved (plus 4 small ones if you are making the pumpkin bowls)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 small shallots chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup coconut milk + 1 cup water or 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to your liking)
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 cup fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup fresh sage
• 1/4 cup shelled pistachios
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (sub feta or parmesan if you don't like blue cheese)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• 1 tablespoon coconut milk
• Reserved pumpkin seeds from above
• 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• lots of salt to your tasting

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. Cut your pumpkin in halves or quarters and reserve the pumpkin seeds for later
3. Place the pumpkin on a baking sheet and rub the pumpkin with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Chop off the top portion of the garlic head to reveal cloves and peel any excess paper/skin off from the bulb of garlic.
5. Pour about a teaspoon of olive oil on top the garlic cloves and cover with foil. Roast both the pumpkin and garlic together on the same baking sheet for 45 minutes, or until the pumpkin is fork tender and the garlic is golden brown and soft
6. Remove from the oven and allow everything to cool five minutes.
7. Squeeze garlic out of the paper skin into a small bowl and mash well with a fork, set aside.
8. Grab the pumpkin and add it to a food processor (or mash extremely well) and puree with 1 cup of the chicken broth, puree until completely smooth.
9. Heat a large pot over medium heat, add the butter and shallots and saute the the shallots until soft, about 5 minutes.
10. Add the thyme and cook another 30 seconds
11. Add the pumpkin puree, remaining chicken, coconut milk, water, cayenne, nutmeg, maple syrup and crushed red pepper.
12. Bring the soup to a low simmer and simmer 15-20 minutes.
13. *(While the soup cooks I make the pesto.) Add the roasted garlic, parsley, sage and pistachios to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped and then stream in the olive oil.
14. Add the cheese and pulse a few more time until combined. Season with salt and pepper.
15. Next - fry the pumpkin seeds. Add the reserved pumpkin seeds to a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon coconut milk and 1 tablespoon flour.
16. In a small bowl combine the chipotle chili powder, pepper and brown sugar.
17. Place a skillet on the stove top and set to medium heat, add the olive oil.
18. Once the oil is hot, add the pumpkin seeds into the pan, but be careful! Stir the pumpkin seeds around in the skillet with a spoon or spatula continuously until they expand and start to brown.
19. Once the seeds are browned remove from the skillet and place on a paper towel to drain. Toss with the chili powder and a good pinch of salt. Taste and season accordingly.
20. To assemble the soup, ladle the soup into bowls (or your roasted pumpkins) and top each bowl with a dollop of pesto, a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds and if desired drizzle with coconut milk. Start slurpin!

Option: To make the roasted pumpkin soup bowls. Remove the tops of the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds. Rub the insides of the pumpkins with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes or just until soft to touch but not falling in.

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
• 1/4 cup flour (rice flour for gluten free)
• 3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 8 ounces cheese tortellini (gluten free for gluten free)
• 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
• 10 ounces spinach, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream or Greek yogurt
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup basil, chopped (optional)

1. Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat, add the onion and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
3. Add the flour and cook for another minute.
4. Add the broth, tomatoes, tomato paste and tortellini, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the tortellini is tender, about 10 minutes.
5. Add the parmesan, let it melt, add the spinach, let it wilt, add the cream, season with salt and pepper to taste, remove from heat before adding the basil.

Option: Puree some or all of the diced tomatoes. (I like to puree half of them.)

Option: Add 2 cups of cooked and shredded chicken or 8 ounces of cooked Italian sausage to make it even heartier.

Option: Replace the fresh basil with 2 tablespoons basil pesto.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 sweet onion (chopped)
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• 2/3 cup apple cider
• 2 small Honeycrisp apples, or 1 large (chopped)
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme (chopped), or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1 (12 oz.) beer (she used pumpkin ale)
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 8 ounces brie (rind removed and cubed)

• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1 1/2 cups whole raw pecans
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Working on a greased cookie sheet or pyrex dish, add the oats, pecans, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Add the softened butter and use your fingers to crumble into the oats mixture until everything is moist and the butter is evenly distributed.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking, until crisp is golden brown and smells amazing! I like to serve this warm, so I make it while the soup simmers.

1. Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil.
2. Once hot, add onions and a pinch of brown sugar
3. Season with salt and pepper
4. Cook for about 5 mins, stirring frequently, until softened
5. Slowly add the apple cider, let it cook into the onions, add more and continue to cook until the onions are caramelized
6. add apples and thyme to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring until softened, about 8 minutes
7. Add in any remaining apple cider, beer, chicken broth, and cayenne
8. Bring to a simmer and cook 5-10 minutes or until the apples are tender *(this is when I bake the crumble)
9. Meanwhile, whisk the flour into the milk until smooth and set aside
10. Once the apples are soft, puree the soup until chunky/smooth or completely smooth (whatever you prefer)
11. Return the soup to the stove and bring to a low boil
12. Whisk in the milk mixture and boil until the soup thickens slightly, about 5 mins.
13. Stir in the cheddar cheese and brie until melted and smooth
14. Simmer the soup about 5 mins or until ready to serve
15. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the cinnamon pecan crumble (and some extra cheese too!)

• 24 ounces red potato, diced
• 1 (16-ounce) package frozen corn
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

1. Place potatoes and corn into a 6-qt slow cooker. Stir in flour and gently toss to combine. Stir in chicken stock, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, to taste.
2. Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours.* Stir in butter and heavy cream.
3. Serve immediately.

Notes: *Cooking time may need to be adjusted depending on the thickness of the potatoes.

• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 lb. carrots, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 c. water, vegetable broth, or chicken broth
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 1 1/2 tbsp. Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix

1. Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft and golden, 8 to 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add carrots and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add water or broth and bring to a simmer.
2. Cook, partially covered, until carrots are easily mashed against the side of the pot, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly.
3. Working in two batches, transfer soup to blender (or use a hand blender) and puree until very smooth.
4. In large bowl, combine heavy cream and Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix and beat until soft peaks form.
5. Serve soup topped with ranch cream and freshly ground pepper.