Happy Halloween!

Just a quick hello and to say Happy Halloween! Some amazing squash and pumpkin carvings from Ray Villafane. See more here after the jump.

For those of you who never got around to carving your pumpkins (ahem...you know who you are)

here is a great recipe for Pumpkin Corn Chowder. Enough to feed a crowd I might add.

Pumpkin Corn Chowder

INGREDIENTS
6 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup skinned pumpkin or hard squash, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
12 cups vegetable or chicken broth
 2 cups pumpkin puree (you will need to roast your pumpkin and puree the flesh) or use canned
 2 cups corn kernels, cut from the cob
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoons crumbled dried sage
1/2 cup light cream or half-and-half (vegans may substitute soy or rice milk or 2 tablespoons nut butter)
salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste
1. Heat butter or olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and diced pumpkin or squash. Saute, stirring to coat the vegetables with the butter, until onion is translucent, just a few minutes.
2. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, 30 minutes, until pumpkin is tender.
3. Add pumpkin puree, corn, and herbs. Bring back to a boil, then reduce heat again and cook over low heat for 20 minutes more. Stir in cream and remove soup from the heat.
4. Puree half the soup in a blender and return it to the pot, stirring well to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.