Mushroom soup and some janky pumpkin carving.

To be honest, I have no idea how I'm functioning right now. The only time I've slept since I woke up yesterday was on both of my flights this morning. Apparently turning twenty a week from today means I'm not cut out for all-nighters anymore.

I've been in a zombie like state for a majority of the day, but I've managed to be relatively productive. I cleaned up my apartment, made some awesome soup, did a little homework at Starbucks, then proceeded to scour Saint Paul for a pumpkin to carve.

Over the weekend I had thought of all these elaborate patterns for jack-o-lanterns and I was antsy to execute them. However, of the five grocery stores I went to not a single one had true pumpkins. I suppose that's what I get for waiting until Halloween night. I ended up buying some little squash pumpkins. Once I returned to my apartment I realized I don't have a little carving kit, or any decent knives. Therefore, I ended up using a dull knife and an ice cream scoop, causing me to butcher my little pumps by stabbing illegible words onto each of them. And my kitchen is covered in pumpkin goop.

I tried.

The good thing about these pumpkins is that they were jam packed with seeds! To bake, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. I coated mine with a little maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring half way through.

Now I'll attempt to pick up all of the goopy seeds that have scattered across my kitchen floor...

Cream of Mushroom & Wild Rice Soup

original recipe

serves 5-6

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup onions, diced

2 fresh garlic cloves, minced

1 pound of mushrooms, sliced (button, cremini, shiitake, any mix that you prefer)

2 tablespoons brown rice flour

28 oz chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup skim milk

1/2 cup half and half

2 tablespoons corn starch

Less than one tablespoon dried rosemary

2 cups cooked wild rice (I used brown basmati rice and black wild rice)

Fresh rosemary or thyme for garnish

Gruyere cheese for garnish (optional)

In a large stock pot add olive oil and heat at medium on the stove. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic and sauté until soft, approximately 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Once tender, sprinkle brown rice flour over the mixture. Stir and let cook for 3-4 minutes. Gradually being to add stock, one half of a cup at a time. Add milk and half and half. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes. Make sure the soup doesn't boil, which will cause the broth and milk to separate. After 45 minutes, stir in rice and rosemary. Whisk together corn starch in broth or milk and add to the soup. Stir until thickened. Garnish with cheese, a sprig of thyme, or fresh rosemary.

Casper had to double check that everything was alright.

Such a nosy cat.