Give Thanks Pumpkin Soup

You can enjoy this flavourful soup all year round by using fresh pumpkin in the fall and canned pumpkin purée at other times. It’s delicious! Winter squashes such as butternut or Hubbard are excellent substitutes.Prep time given is for canned pumpkin. Personal note: when I want to use fresh pumpkin I slow bake it whole, then open it and remove the seeds and scoop out the flesh. It's slower but so much easier for hands that have lost a lot of strength.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 (14 ounce) can pumpkin puree or 2  lbs fresh pumpkin
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 2  carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3⁄4 cup  chopped celery
• 2  garlic cloves, chopped
• 1  tablespoon  minced fresh ginger
• 2  tablespoons canola oil
• 2 1⁄2 cups chicken broth
• 1⁄4 cup butter
• 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1⁄2 cups milk
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Peel and seed fresh pumpkin. Cut into chunks.
2. Sauté onion, carrots, celery and garlic in oil in large saucepan for 5 minutes. Stir in ginger, pumpkin and broth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Purée mixture in batches in food processor or blender until smooth. Set aside.
3. Melt butter in same saucepan. Add flour, stirring until blended. Gradually add milk, stirring until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and is thickened. Add pumpkin mixture to milk mixture. Reheat to serve.
4. *This freezes very well.