Pumpkin Soup

I found a similar recipe a long time ago and adapted it to make it slightly healthier. This is the BEST soup for a chilly fall day, and you can go to the pumpkin patch and pick out your very own pumpkin to use! I like to serve it with homemade drop biscuits, they are delicious dipped into the broth.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 2  teaspoons butter
• 2  cups fresh pumpkin puree (I prefer to make the mashed pumpkin myself, but you can use canned if you like)
• 4  cups chicken broth
• 2  bay leaves
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1⁄8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1  tablespoon dried parsley
• 1  cup skim milk
• 1  cup half-and-half
• 2  teaspoons salt
•  fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. If using fresh pumpkin, peel pumpkin and cut into 1 inch cubes. Boil until tender, similar to making mashed potatoes. When they are soft, drain off water and mash by hand. Set aside for later.
2. Saute onion with butter in a large dutch oven until golden brown.
3. Stir in pumpkin, chicken broth, bay leaves, sugar, curry powder, nutmeg, and parsley.
4. Bring to simmer and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add milk in a thin stream, stirring while adding. Do the same with the half and half.
6. Add salt and pepper, and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes.
7. Serve hot.