Sweet & Spicy Curried Pumpkin Peanut Soup ~ Grocery Blunders

So I did it again.

I brought home Libby's PUMPKIN PIE MIX instead of Libby's PURE PUMPKIN.  I'm good for this mistake about once a year. I guess I am my mother's daughter.  Her, "achilles' heel"...COLA. 

You see growing up my mom rarely bought soda...but when she did...you could rest assured 50% of the time it was DIET...which none of us (herself included) ever drank... 




I remember being SO disappointed when I'd go to grab that (rare) 2-liter out of the brown paper bag, only to be left holding a, "Zero. Calorie. Cola."  The remainder of the day, each family member that walked through the door was greeted with the same phrase, "Mom did it again!" (...no further explanation needed.)

Now that I'm a mom...I'd like to take this opportunity to personally apologize to my lovely mother (whom reads my blog daily...even when I don't post...or so she says) for all those times I acted like her, "DIET soda blunder" was somehow a reflection of her not caring that ~ her youngest daughter especially ~ would have to go another whole month without a sweet, carbonated, caramel beverage to wash down that blackened Grilled Ham and Cheese. 

In fact, mom...you deserve a huge, "thank you"...because to this day I can do...and usually do, do...without soda." 



So the moral of the story is that ..."Moms are busy and sometimes make grocery blunders."  In most cases, it's not that mothers are out to sabotage their families by bringing carbonated aspartame into the kitchen...  .... .... .... .... (big sigh.....still getting over it...need time.....)  .... .... ........ .......... ..

...but... rather increased responsibilities, busy schedules and ridiculous expectations that we are to see that the entire world's in perfect equilibrium 99% of the time!

(Exaggerated? Perhaps. But you get the idea.)      

In my case, today's only blunder was the purchase of PUMPKIN PIE MIX for my soup....instead of PURE PUMPKIN...here's what resulted...and it was delicious! 

Sweet and Spicy Curried Pumpkin Peanut Soup

Roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) (for garnish, optional but awesome, so not really)
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cups chicken broth
1 (30 ounce) can Pumpkin Pie Mix (I used Libby's and am SURE Pure Pumpkin would be fine too)
1 can unsweetened Thai Coconut Milk
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons All-Natural Creamy Peanut Butter
salt and pepper to taste
*Additional half and half and cilantro to garnish (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.  Roast your Pepitas ~ about 10 minutes.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large pot melt your butter and then add flour, curry powder and cayenne until bubbly and a paste forms.  Add stock and whisk until well incorporated and beginning to thicken.

Add pumpkin pie mix, coconut milk and cream, whisking constantly until well combined.

Add soy sauce, peanut butter and brown sugar and whisk until well combined.  When soup begins to get bubbly around the edges, keep whisking and turn off the heat. 

Salt and Pepper to taste, adjust seasoning to your liking and serve with roasted pepitas, cilantro and a drizzle of cream.  Serve hot.