Pumpkin Bisque with Nutmeg Sage Croutons

I've always been guilty of envisioning these over-extravagant holiday celebrations that somehow never really pan out.  I always thought when I grew up, Christmas would be a scene out of a soap opera.  My perfectly dressed children would be stringing popcorn and cranberries to adorn our tree, while I baked PERFECT gingerbread men and my handsome, rugged husband chopped down the perfectly shaped tree.  Yeah right.  Rugged?  No way.    He is handsome though.  And if black fingernail polish is considered perfectly dressed we have that covered.  They wouldn't string popcorn to save their lives.  And I don't even like gingerbread.  So when Halloween rolled around, I envisioned an early dinner of this delicious bisque.  Then later, me in my adorable Old Navy pajama pants with the pumpkins on them curled up on the couch with my husband watching scary movies.  Maybe some popcorn popped in an old-fashioned popper.  Pausing to hand out candy to the cute little trick-or-treaters that rang our bell.  Yeah right.  The only thing that came true in that scenario was the Pumpkin Bisque.  Those trick-or-treaters?  More like teenage boys in their football jerseys that maybe bothered to throw on a mask.  And my husband hates scary movies.  And popcorn.  He hates that too.  But the Pumpkin Bisque was PERFECT!  It's creamy and rich, and the unique flavors of the nutmeg and sage on the croutons are the ideal compliment to the soup.  It is delicious on its own, but it would be a lovely first course to any Thanksgiving or Fall meal.  Really.  Whether you have one of those soap opera Thanksgiving meals or not!

Creamy, rich Pumpkin Bisque!

The Line-Up

Saute onion in butter until tender.
Add garlic.

Add chicken broth, bring to a boil.
Simmer then puree in blender.

Return pureed mixture to pot and
add pumpkin.

Add seasonings.

Simmer about 10 minutes.

Stir in half and half,
heat through.

Toss bread cubes with melted butter.

Coat well with seasonings.

Bake until golden and crunchy.

Perfect for any Fall meal!

Pumpkin Bisque with Nutmeg Sage Croutons

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped white onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken broth
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups half and half

crusty bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, saute onion in 1 tablespoon butter until tender.  Add garlic and saute one minute more.  Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to simmer, cooking 15 minutes.  Transfer to a blender a process until smooth.  (Use caution when blending hot liquids!)  Return mixture to pan and add pumpkin and seasonings.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat simmering 10 minutes, stirring often.  Add half and half and heat through.  Serve immediately topped with croutons.

For croutons:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Toss bread cubes in melted butter and coat with seasonings.  Place in a single layer on baking sheet and bake for about 5 minutes or until golden and crunchy.

Prep Time:  Approximately 20 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 30 minutes