From the Shelf: Pumpkin Soup

You're going to be buying a pumpkin for Halloween anyway, why not buy one to make something good to eat? Discovered when I was going through the collections of cookbooks I own, this recipe from "The Black Family Reunion Cookbook" will be perfect for these chilly nights, and is a good way to recycle your gourd before it heads to the green bin.

Ingredients:

1.4-1.9 L chicken consommé (refrigerate before using and skim off the fat)
910 g fresh pumpkin, peeled and cut up
230-455 g smoked meat of your choice (suggestions include pork, neckbones, turkey); can be left out entirely if the soup needs to be vegetarian
100 g small size dried pasta (shells or elbow macaroni)
100 g shredded cabbage
40 g green beans, cut up (or other vegertables of your choice)
15 g chopped fresh parsley
3 carrots, thinly sliced
2-3 celery stalks
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced

1. Cook the meat and the consommé in a large stockpot for 30 minutes (the consommé may be diluted with water.) Remove the meat and set aside.
2. Add the pumpkin, celery, onion, garlic, and parsley to the pot. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes until the pumpkin is done. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. Pour the contents of the stockpot in a blender and purée. Pour the purée back into the pot adding more consommé if the mixture is too thick.
4. Bring the soup to a boil. Add the carrots, green beans (or whatever vegetable you're using), and pasta. Cook until the pasta is tender.
5. If you are using meat in the recipe, slice or cut it up, and add it back to the soup. Add the cabbage, and cook for 10 minutes or until the cabbage is done but still crunchy.
   
   Serves 12. Store in covered airtight containers, and refrigerate any extra vegetable soup promptly. Properly stored, the soup will last for 3 to 4 days. Freeze it in covered airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Properly stored, it will maintain its best quality for about 4 to 6 months but will remain safe beyond that time.

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"The Black Family Reunion Cookbook" from the National Council of Negro Women contains more than 250 recipe from home kitchens, and highlights the values, traditions, and strengths of the Black family.

The MagicalButter machine - Review of a herbal butter making device

While Canada has legalized marijuana, edibles containing marijuana are still prohibited and are not legally available for sale. For those unwilling to wait until the government revisits the issue of edibles in 2019, there is a fast and easy way to make your own edibles so you can ingest marijuana without having to smoke it. The MagicalButter machine is specifically designed for "infusing the essence" of your cannabis (or any other medicinal herb) into butter and oil, among other things, all while being small enough to fit on your kitchen counter. Made of stainless steel and fully automatic, it "...grinds, heats, stirs, and steeps..." the weed into a consistent infusion every time you use it and the recipes that come with the device. It also makes tinctures, is great for infusing alcohols with flavours for faster Limoncellos, and can be used to make skin care products, such as lotions and face creams. I know a guy who knows a gal who sleeps with a guy who has one, and he swears by the thing, saying it's as simple as putting the ingredients in, setting the temperature and time, and letting the machine do its thing. Whatever magical morsels you make is up to you, but please be aware of the health effects of cannabis - start out small, then wait at least 60-90 minutes to see if you're feeling the way you want to feel.

NOTE: I have not been paid by the makes of MagicalButter to produce this blog entry, but if MB World Headquarters wants to send something my way because of this, I won't object.