How to make effortless Pumpkin Soup

There are not many things I love about winter. (I say the same thing at the start of every winter.) Today I tried to be positive and reminded myself that I do like wearing scarves and I also love soup. I guess I also like having candles on in the house in the evenings and..... um.... no, there is nothing else I like.

Anyway, back to the soup issue. Pumpkin Soup is the easiest soup to make, and cheap too. The only problem everyone hates is cutting up the whole pumpkin.

But... this need never be a problem again!

I always put the whole pumpkin, yes the whole thing, on it's own, in the microwave.

10 minutes on high.

I let it cool and then peel & cut it up. It's like cutting butter!

(It's especially easy when Mr Husband cuts it up... well, someone had to be on hand to take the photo. I can't cut pumpkin and take photos at the same time, can I?!)

I recently did a pumpkin even bigger than this one. I zapped it for 10 minutes and then gave it an extra 10. I tell you it was a monster specimen.

So, in a pan you place a chopped onion, the cut up peeled pumpkin, fill to just under the top of the pumpkin with chicken stock. Add a teaspoon of sugar. Boil. When it's well cooked, get the old hand blender into the pot and puree the soup. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Thank you winter for little pleasures.

And thank you microwave that I don't have to cut up rock hard pumpkins any more.