Soup and sandwich, another variation

Soup and a sandwich is a difficult combination to beat and is a standard team in most households year round. One reason they-re so great is that they can be packed so full of a variety of things that they make a full meal of good taste, texture and color.

The following recipes are both variations on familiar ones but the sandwich puts emphasis on vegetables, using three, and spinach is included in place of lettuce.

The pumpkin soup is colorful and it too, has its share of vegetables.

The dishes were presented at the recent Newspaper Food Editors Conference in Chicago by Pepperidge Farm Inc. Vegetable Pumpkin Soup 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup peeled, chopped carrot 1 cup chopped celery 2 cans (13 3/4 ounces each) chicken broth 1 can (29 ounces) pumpkin puree 1 can (13 ounces) evaporated skimmed milk 1 teaspoon salt Few grains pepper Chopped parsley for garnish

Combine onion, carrot, celery and 1 cup chicken broth in a large saucepan. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Transfer to a blender or food processor and process until vegetables are pureed. Return to pan and add remaining chicken broth, pumpkin, milk, salt and pepper.

Heat 10 to 15 minutes over moderately low heat, stirring frequently until soup is hot. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

Makes about 9 cups of soup or 10 servings. Grilled Spinach and Cheese Sandwich 2 large spinach leaves 3 thin slices peeled cucumber 2 thin slices ripe tomato 1 thin slice red onion 1 ounce thinly sliced Monteray Jack cheese 2 thin slices pumpernickel bread 1 or 2 slices melted butter or margarine

Layer spinach, cucumber, tomato, onion and cheese on one slice of bread; top with remaining bread slice. Brush a griddle or skillet very lightly with butter and heat over moderate heat.

Place sandwich on griddle and cook 5 to 7 minutes,turning once and brushing griddle with more butter, as needed, until bread is crisp and brown and cheese has melted. Makes 1 sandwich.