• First, gather all of your ingredients.
• Next, wash all vegetables.
• Then, prep and dice all the vegetables to the appropriate size and shape.
• Dice one onion.
• Next, cut carrots in the shape of a pumpkin.

How to cut a carrot into the shape of a pumpkin:

• First, peel carrots.
• Second, cut off both ends of the carrot (top and tip), leaving only the usable parts of the carrot.
• Next, cut two optional ingredients: th of an inch slits down the top of a carrot that will identify the stem of the pumpkin.
• Now, rotate the carrot to its side. This is to easily make a perpendicular slice to the bottom of the previous cut that identified the stem of the pumpkin. This second cut should reach the first cut and result in the removal of a small piece of carrot making one side of the carrot pumpkin.
• Next, rotate the carrot to the other side and do the exact same step as above. This third cut will result in the removal of another small piece of carrot making the final side of the carrot pumpkin.
• Finally, slice the carrot into slices. This will result in individual carrot pieces in the shape of a pumpkin.
• Slice zucchini into any shape you like: sliced rounds, halves, quarters, or cut into the shape of a pumpkin using the described method above.

Starting the soup on the stovetop:

• Start the soup by cooking the Italian sausage in a Dutch oven or large stock pot on medium-high heat.
• Immediately, add 1 tsp of salt to the Italian sausage and use a wooden spoon to mix the salt into the Italian sausage.
• Once the sausage is cooked, remove all but 1-2 tablespoons of rendered pork fat.
• Next, add the diced onion to the cooked Italian sausage, and add ½ tsp of salt. (The salt is added throughout the recipe to season each ingredient and build the flavor.)
• Now add ½ of the minced garlic. Saute the garlic for a couple of minutes. Keep the garlic moving in the pan so as not to burn the garlic.
• Then, add the carrots, zucchini, ½ tsp of salt, 1 tsp of pepper, and ½ tsp of granulated garlic or garlic powder.
• Add the herbs, you can tie the herbs up with food-grade butcher's twine, or just place them loosely on top of the vegetables. I recommend thyme, parsley, sage, oregano, or whatever herbs you have on hand. Thyme is the most important herb, if you were to only add one herb, thyme would be the best.
• Add 6 cups of chicken stock/broth.
• Add a piece of parmesan rind to the soup, this is a very important step/ingredient for the final flavor of the soup.
• slow simmer soup to intensify the flavor
• Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer on medium-low for 30 mins to 1 hour keep the lid mostly on (so the steam can escape and the liquid doesn't boil over, but on enough to not lose too much of the liquid). Allow enough cooking time to soften vegetables and bring all the flavors of the soup together. (An alternative to stove-top simmering is to place the soup in the oven at 325℉ for 30 minutes to 1 hour with the lid on.)
• *If you choose to add ¼ cup of uncooked jasmine or arborio rice, add it in the last 25 minutes and adjust the liquid as needed.*
• While the soup is simmering, cook mushroom skulls separately to achieve maximum flavor.

Cooking the mushroom skulls:

• Slice the mushrooms in half lengthwise.
• Then, make the mushroom skulls by making eye holes with a straw.
• Next, add 2 tbsp olive oil to a saute pan and heat to medium-high heat.
• Then, add mushrooms flat side down to the saute pan.
• Immediately, add ½ tsp of salt to the mushrooms in an even sprinkle to the tops of the mushrooms.
• Cook the mushroom skulls for 2- 3 minutes without moving the mushrooms. (Don't move the mushrooms at all.) This is to develop a deep brown caramelization on the flat side of the mushroom.
• Next, add 1/4 cup of marsala cooking wine. Deglaze the pan with the masala wine.
• Then, add the other half of the minced garlic (the remaining 2 cloves).
• Cook the wine down for about 2 minutes. (The wine will help the garlic cook without the garlic burning.)
• Turn off the heat and add the sauteed mushrooms.

Finishing the Spooky Sausage Soup:

• Check the finished soup for seasoning. (Depending on the chicken broth that was used, the soup may need an additional salt. Add the additional salt ⅛ tsp at a time; until the desired amount of salt has been obtained to not over salt the soup.)
• Next, remove the herbs and the parmesan rind.
• Finally, add the sauteed mushroom skulls to the finished soup. Arrange them so everyone can see the mushroom skulls and serve.