Recipe #70: Black Bean Pumpkin Soup

Nick loves this one!  This is a Rachel Ray recipe that doesn't disappoint- it's quick, easy, cheap, a little spicy, and REALLY good.  I've seen two variations of this, but I'm posting the one I found online.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped  (I coarsely chopped mine)
• 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
  (I used dried while cooking, and also to top it)

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.