A Cute Spook Soup

I’m one of those moms who have little time to do lots of cutesy crafts for their kids. But hey, Halloween is coming, and my three little ones might appreciate Mom making an effort at doing something “cute.”

Fortunately, the effort for this soup is minimal and the pumpkin croutons are just cute enough. They’re easy too, because I’m not nearly neurotic enough to attempt witches on broomsticks or arched-back black cat croutons. A jack-o’-lantern is just a circle with a little knob on top. I can do that.

Round out the meal with a lettuce and tomato salad and send them off trick-or-treating. They’ll bring a couple of months’ worth of desserts back in their pillow cases.

Pumpkin Orange Soup With Halloween Croutons

Active Work Time: 20 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 30 minutes * Vegetarian

2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, chopped

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

3 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup orange juice

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

2 slices white or wheat bread

Salt, pepper

* Melt 1 tablespoon butter in medium saucepan. Add onion and cook over medium-low heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add pumpkin puree and cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth, orange juice and orange zest. Bring to boil then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes.

* While soup is cooking, make croutons. Use kitchen shears or scissors to cut 4 or 5 (2-inch) pumpkin shapes from bread. Melt remaining butter in small skillet over medium heat and fry croutons until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Lift croutons from skillet using spatula, and use toothpick to poke out eyes, noses and mouths on each to make jack-o’-lanterns. Set aside.

* Finish soup by pureeing in blender until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour soup into bowls and top each with finished croutons.

2 to 3 servings. Each of 3 servings: 198 calories; 1,263 mg sodium; 21 mg cholesterol; 9 grams fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 1.79 grams fiber.

MENU

Pumpkin Orange Soup

Lettuce and Tomato Salad

INGREDIENTS

Staples

Lettuce

Onion

Orange

Vegetable broth

Sliced white or wheat bread

Tomatoes

Shopping List

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

GAME PLAN:

30 minutes before: Chop onion, squeeze orange juice, grate orange zest.

25 minutes before: Shred lettuce and chop tomatoes for salad.

20 minutes before: Begin making soup by adding onion, then pumpkin puree to pot.

15 minutes before: Add vegetable broth, orange juice and orange zest to pot. Simmer.

10 minutes before: Make croutons.

Just before serving: Puree soup, toss salad.

*

Halloween plate and bowl from Kitchen ‘n Things, Big Bear.