Pumpkin Soup (with Bacon & Maple Croutons)

Every year when October rolls around, I get so excited to see all of the bright orange pumpkins on display in the grocery stores.  The sight of pumpkins piled high in the grocery bins causes my mind to immediately drift toward thoughts of pumpkin breads, muffins, pies, and any other type of common pumpkin-flavored treat.  However, although baking with pumpkin is something very familiar to me, I am quite a novice when it comes to using pumpkin in savory types of dishes. 

Ellie, of Gourmand Recipes, has caused me to rethink my use of pumpkin, and has inspired me to try something new.  She recently posted a recipe for Pumpkin Soup, which includes bacon and maple croutons.  Bacon and maple--you can never go wrong with this flavor combination!  As if these additions weren't convincing enough, she is known for including beautiful food photos in each of her recipe posts, and this pumpkin soup recipe is no exception.  Her food photography is really something extraordinary.  Not only do her photos make the food look delicious, but they always seem so bright and comforting.  I can only hope that my photos can someday come close to her level, but for now, I do what I can with my handy digital point-and-shoot camera.  I really recommend going to her website to find some other great recipes and see the amazing photos.

When I first saw this recipe, I couldn't help but be interested in the idea of using fresh pumpkins to make soup.  I've never made pumpkin soup before, but the recipe sounded easy enough.  The bacon and homemade maple croutons sounded like their flavors would meld perfectly with the comforting flavor of the pumpkin. 

I used one 4-lb fresh sugar pie pumpkin from Trader Joe's to make this soup.  Since it was my first time, I did a little research to learn how to prepare this sugar pie pumpkin.  I found a great tutorial here.  Despite the requirement of removing the seeds, peeling the skin, and cutting into cubes, it was well worth the effort!  It resulted in an amazing, comforting soup that was the perfect dish to welcome fall.  If you're in the mood for something that is hearty and satisfying, head over to Gourmand Recipes for this great recipe!

Pumpkin Soup (with Bacon & Maple Croutons)
Recipe from Gourmand Recipes
Yield:  Serves 6

Get this recipe here!