Where'd the Pumpkin go?

HEB,
Super Walmart
Super Target

What do these stores have in common?

Empty pumpkin shelves!!

That's right folks, I have been to three stores, and zilch, nada, zip on the shelves for pumpkin! What is a girl to do when she has all of the ingredients to make a PUMPKIN blackbean soup, and NO pumpkin??

A while ago I heard on the news that this might happen because, of the small harvest farmers in the US had this year, heavy rains destroyed most of what had grown . Upon hearing this alarming news alert I said, "Kyle, we need to stock up on pumpkin!"

Evidently, I didn't take my advice. In fact, I lost that vital piece of information due to system overload. And now I have all the ingredients to make this delicious soup, except for pumpkin.

So I bought butternut squash as a substitute. Hope it tastes good. We'll let you know how it turns out!

Here is the recipe for you to try when the pumpkin returns to the shelves:

Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 cups canned or packaged vegetable stock, found on soup aisle
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
• 2 cans (15 ounces) pumpkin puree (found often on the baking aisle)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 palm full
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1/2 palm full
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, eyeball it in the palm of your hand
• Coarse salt
• 20 blades fresh chives, chopped or snipped, for garnish

Directions

Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, add onion. Saute onions 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, black beans and pumpkin puree. Stir to combine ingredients and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and stir in cream, curry, cumin, cayenne and salt, to taste. Simmer 5 minutes, adjust seasonings and serve garnished with chopped chives.

P.S. I GOT MY VISA TODAY!!!