My family loves soup! And I’m so happy they do since it’s an easy meal that’s perfect for taking the chill off when autumn arrives…not to mention the kitchen smells heavenly while it’s simmering on the stove! We used to host soup parties, often times with other couples helping to brew up some tasty varieties for guests to sample! And as fun as those large gatherings were, we decided this year to forgo the big bash–keeping it small and simple. Since my husband and I both love to host AND cook we decided to have several little gatherings throughout the season so we can reconnect with all our friends in smaller settings! Autumn is here and Halloween is around the corner so this first of hopefully many soup soirees needed to fit the season…we just had to serve up some PUMPKIN CHILI! Such a yummy recipe (and yes, I will share)…easy to make and so perfect for fall! It would go great with leftover turkey so keep it in mind for your Thanksgiving festivities too! Today I’d like to share our simple gathering to celebrate friends, the season, and Halloween!
warm your bones with steamy soup!
chili is often better served the day after making it…so friday night we started simmering!
i love the way the pumpkin gives this soup a wonderful holiday color!
and since this gathering is so close to the holiday…Halloween touches were a must! i found these fun chalkboard wall stickers at Target…
and thought they would make fun food labels for the table!
since they’re made for walls they peel easily off the table and can be re-positioned without a hitch! there were several in the package of varying sizes and i used all to label most everything. i was introduced to labne (a middle eastern cheese) by a friend…and it’s a new fav! similar to thick, tart sour cream this spread tastes fantastic with salmon…or just about anything!
i wasn’t really sure how to name my dessert…so though the title is bad the little jars are filled with deliciousness! what was inspired from something i saw in an adorable local cupcake shop…these “cupcakes in jars” really ended up being more like mini trifles! my husband’s favorite family recipe, a dark chocolate dense cake, was chopped and layered with raspberry curd & topped with cream. SO easy to do and really cute served up in jelly jars!
a festive way to serve something sweet!
you may remember my favorite find earlier this month…the adorable gnarly forks! i’ve been dying to use them and they look so cute with my holiday plates…
i found this old light fixture at an antique shop and filled it with twinkle lights to make a simply spooky centerpiece!
seems like i’m forgetting something…oh, the soup! we transported the chili from the kitchen to a crockpot on the table. if possible i like to keep all the food together in one place. i just taped an extension cord to the bottom of the table and ran it to the closest outlet. the sticky labels helped to hold down the cord on the top of the table…double duty!
pumpkin cornbread muffins (a box mix from Trader Joe’s) are a delicious addition to the slightly spicy soup!
keeping with the “chalk” theme–i dropped the spoons in this little container…
some extra sweets…
i didn’t want to waste the leftover cupcakes that didn’t get chopped up in the jars…so for kids and adults alike, i dolloped a titch of icing and popped the most adorable cupcake picks on top of the remaining few!
just sitting behind the table on my dining room dresser…theses spooky sweets were still in reach!
i love these make-your-own toppers from picks and stickers! i think i might need to use the rest next weekend!
some sips for good spirits!
keeping with the autumnal theme i HAD to serve some fall beverages…what’s better than cider on a beautiful October evening?
some spiced grapefruit tonic sounded refreshing…
i cut some sprigs of rosemary from the garden to make stir sticks. they not only look pretty but have a wonderful aroma and add a slight flavor to the spiced drink!
extra libations spill over to my desk…the bar cart just isn’t always big enough to hold extras like cider, sodas, and glasses!
some steamy sips…
i kept my cocoa tray ready in the kitchen just in case someone wanted a help-yourself-cocoa! no fuss…i just put out the mixes and toppings near my hot water dispenser so it would be easy for guests to whip up a toasty cup!
fall weather?
chilly weather is perfect for soup…ironically we had warm breezes blowing this weekend and even some rain making it feel more like spring than a week before Halloween! but no worries, since the weather was so lovely we just opened up the doors and carried the party outside before the rain decided to make a late entrance! that’s what i like most about semi-impromptu gatherings…anything goes!
it doesn’t take much to make a fall display…a candle & pumpkin–simply pretty!
when the wind and rain whipped up…we moved it back inside where the fun began!
where we could eat, drink, be scary…
and serve up some soup!
the recipe~
PUMPKIN CHILI…a best of show & tasters choice original recipe in 1995 by Lorraine Knabe. i don’t know who this woman is or where the contest took place…but this recipe given to my mom by a friend is one of my absolute favorites! so thank you Lorraine, wherever you are…you’re a brilliant cook!
my mother and i did make a couple simple alterations which include the addition of sausage and a little less salt…
in a skillet brown 1lb lean ground beef and drain
in a dutch oven brown 2-3 links of fennel sausage cut up in 1/2 inch slices
add beef to pot and add 2 small onions cut in quarters and then thinly sliced and 1 medium green pepper, chopped. saute covered on low heat until onion is transparent.
then add:
1 small shredded carrot (appx. 1/2 C.)
1 t. crushed dry red pepper
1 t. minced garlic
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. paprika
1/2 t. cinnamon
3 C. chicken broth
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. black pepper
1 8oz can tomato sauce
2 15 oz cans pinto beans (not drained)
2 C. canned pumpkin or mashed freshly cooked pumpkin
mix well. cover & slowly simmer 2 hours stirring often. chili will cook down and thicken. tastes better the day after. serve with warm cornbread, crusty bread, or crackers. makes about 3 quarts.
i double the recipe almost every time i make it…it freezes well and we love the leftovers! i don’t double the hamburger however and also not the red pepper so it’s not too spicy. and i ALWAYS use canned pumpkin…so easy!