Curry Pumpkin Soup

This recipe can be prepared through Step 3, then refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months. To serve, thaw, reheat, and proceed with Step 4.
Prep: 20 min. Cook: 30 min.

1 recipe Orange-Cranberry Topper (see below)
2 Tbsp. butter
2 medium onions, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium carrot, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 15 oz. cans pumpkin
2 14 oz. cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
2/3 cup water
1 cup half-and-half or light cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1. Prepare Orange-Cranberry Topper.
2. In 4-quart Dutch oven melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add curry powder and pumpkin pie spice. Cook and stir 1 minute. Add pumpkin, broth, and water. Increase heat to medium-high; bring to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Remove from heat; cool slightly.
3. In food processor or blender, add one-third of the pumpkin mixture at a time, cover, and process or blend until smooth. Return all pumpkin mixture to Dutch oven.
4. Stir half-and-half, salt, and pepper into pumpkin mixture; heat through. Sprinkle each serving with Orange-Cranberry Topper. serves 8

Orange Cranberry Topper: In small bowl combine 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 1 Tbsp finely shredded orange peel, and 2 Tbsp snipped fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley.

*The cranberries make this recipe!!
**Recipe found in the October 2008 Better Homes & Gardens magazine