Disgusting or Good?

I found a recipe this morning whilst browsing the computer.  It reminds me so much of fall, can I continue with the fact that our predicted two week forecast has us at or near 90 every day?  Sigh.  Anyway, I give you Chipotle Pumpkin Barley Soup with Chicken.  From the fantastic blog Life In Grace.  I can't make up my mind if it sounds totally amazing, or totally not.

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Ingredients

• 2 T butter and 2 T. olive oil
• 1 onion
• 1 large carrot
• 3 stalks of celery
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 boxes of good chicken stock
• 1 can of pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix) the smaller sized can ~14 oz
• 3 c. cooked chicken or 3 c. diced potatoes for a vegetarian option (could also use frozen hash browns)
• 1/2 c barley
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1/4 t. ginger
• 1/4 t nutmeg
• 2-3 T honey
• 1-2 t. chipotles chopped very fine (it comes in a small can in the mexican section of the store and is packed in a heavy sauce)—it has a lot of heat so be cautious.
• 1 c. sour cream or greek yogurt
• 1/4 c. heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. To begin, saute the veggies in the oil and butter until carrots are almost tender.
2. Always salt as you go along and then adjust the salt at the end.
3. Don’t wait til the very end to add salt or your dish will lack a depth of flavor.
4. Add garlic after the veggies have cooked about 5 minutes.
5. Then add chicken stock, pumpkin, chicken, barley and all the spices.
6. Cook at medium to high heat for about 45 minutes to an hour or until barley is tender.
7. Turn heat down to simmer. Add sour cream or yogurt and whisk so that no lumps remain and then add cream.
8. Taste and reseason. I had to add more honey to balance the heat of the chipotles but DON’T leave out the chipotles. The smokey flavor makes the soup. It just wouldn’t be the same without them! Enjoy!

I will be making this the first day the weather hits in the 50's.