Let the Insanity Begin

NaNoWriMo starts tomorrow so don't expect to hear from me for a while.

For those of you unfamiliar with this event, National Novel Writing Month is a writing challenge -- a seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30. Over 120,000 world-wide will participate this year. But how many will finish? And let's be honest, the aim here is quantity not quality.

Since I generally write between 500 and 1,000 words per day, the 1,667 words/per average is going to be more than slightly challenging. Thankfully I have a plot in mind, mixing a Victorian Inn with psychics, food, and, of course, murder.  Stay tuned to see how it all turns out.

In the meantime, I won't have time for much cooking, so I'm sharing the world's easiest soup recipe. It's delicious and makes a huge amount! A mug of this will keep you typing all afternoon.

Pumpkin Soup
   
3  10-oz. cans cream of chicken soup  
3 cups canned pumpkin (or one medium can)  
3 cups half & half or milk  
2 cans low-sodium chicken broth  
2 Tbs  minced parsley  
1 pinch sugar  
1 tsp dried basil  
1 1/2 tsp caraway seeds  (or more to taste)
3/4 tsp  salt  
   pepper to taste  

 1 Combine all ingredients in sauce pan; mix well. Simmer 3 minutes, adjusting seasonings and/or liquid as needed.
 2. Garnish with chives, if desired.
 NOTE: DO NOT use seasoned pumpkin pie filling. Make sure the only ingredient in can is pure  pumpkin.

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