Pumpkin Soup and Sage Toast

In honor of the exceptionally chilly Labor Day weekend in the U. P. of Michigan (home sweet home), I’ve decided to post a soup recipe that will warm you up on the coldest of days (that sounds cheesy, I know).

Before we begin, however, here’s a quick little back-story on my house in the U. P. … Now I realize many of you might be asking yourself, “What is this “up” she speaks of?” Well it’s not the “up”, it’s the “U. P.” or “Upper Peninsula” of Michigan (when people from Michigan try to tell you where they’re from, they usually point to somewhere on their hand…well I live in the 6^th finger that was cut off at birth…) My parents bought our house in the U. P. during my first year of high school, and have been working on it ever since. It’s on a beautiful lake and surrounded by trees. On even the coldest days, you can sit on the couches, look out the window and feel like you’re outside. Sometimes I can’t believe how lucky I am to live in such a magical place. Looking out the window at that lake makes the 12-hour drive from Cleveland totally worth it. Besides, who wouldn’t want to be referred to as a “Yooper”?! For more information on the yooper, and our particular dialect, please see this website (say wah to da UP, eh?).

On to the recipe…

What you need:

• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 large Vidalia onion, diced
• 12-15 fresh sage leaves, chopped (or ¾ tsp dried sage)
• ½ bay leaf
• 2 tbs unsalted butter
• 1 lb can pumpkin puree
• 4 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth

What you need to do:

1. In a large pot, melt butter and cook the onions until they start to wilt.
2. Add the chopped carrot, bay leaf and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the vegetables are softened.
3. Stir in the pumpkin puree and 4 cups of broth (only add a little at a time).
4. Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
5. Discard the bay leaf (DON’T FORGET TO DO THIS).
6. Using a blender, puree the mixture in batches until it is smooth.
7. Return to the soup to the pout and bring it to a simmer.
8. Add the remaining ½ cup of broth to thin it down to desired consistency.
9. Add salt and pepper to taste.
10. 10. Pour in bowls, top with sage toast (see recipe below), and enjoy!

Sage Toast-

What you need:

• 2 tbs butter
• 10 leaves fresh sage, chopped (or ½ tsp dried sage)
• 1 load of French or Italian bread (I vote for Jimmy John’s day old bread!)

What you need to do:

1. Melt the butter.
2. Add the sage.
3. Dip the sliced bread in the melted sage butter.
4. Toast the bread on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Photos taken and edited by Gayan De Silva (http://thebrownbearrr.shutterfly.com/)

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