courtesy of Colombe Jacobsen-Derstine

There’s a lot more fun to be had with pumpkins than carving them into jack-o’-lanterns.  In my house, pumpkins do double duty: I use them first as dinner-table centerpieces, and then turn them into edibles. I like to make a big batch of pumpkin (or other squash) soup, and use the shell itself as the soup tureen. Just pop the pumpkin in the oven while you’re making the soup (directions are below).  And when the soup is gone, you can scrape the sides of the pumpkin bowl and enjoy what’s left; nothing goes to waste.

There are loads of delicious pumpkin soup and squash soup recipes to choose from—such as a gently spiced classic pumpkin soup or, for a twist, this vegetarian-friendly sherried kobocha soup with spiced pumpkin seed  (which was a huge hit with my family).

To make the pumpkin tureen, cut the very top off the pumpkin to make a “lid,” and scoop out all seeds. Roast the pumpkin in the oven until the flesh is soft but not mushy. (The sugar pumpkin makes a perfect vessel. It’s a compact, sweet, and less fibrous variety, with a beautifully rounded shape.) Then scrape out some of the flesh, and pour your soup inside. For an added bonus, save the pumpkin seeds and roast them.  They make healthy munching—ideal for kids’ lunchboxes.

Watch Colombe’s video on how to make the perfect pumpkin soup!

 Have pumpkin, will cook. Here are some out-of-the-box pumpkin recipes we love.

• Curried Pumpkin Soup

• Pumpkin Pie Nog (like pumpkin pie in a glass!)

• Pumpkin Patch Snack Mix

Watch Colombe’s Recipe.com TV segments on YouTube for fun, easy tips on healthy cooking.

You might also like:

Pumpkin Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Smashing Pumpkins

Categories: Dinner Tonight | Tags: Pumpkin, Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Seeds, Pumpkin Soup, Soup
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