Curried Pumpkin-Pear Soup

Today is Halloween and even though my son is all grown up, I still serve a holiday meal.  Tonight my parent's join us.

Normally, I make a pumpkin stew but tonight I am going with a old stand-by Classy Chicken by Best of Bridge.  You can never go wrong with this recipe.  To go with it and keep the Halloween theme I am making a Curried Pumpkin-Pear Soup that is really good.  It is based on a old pumpkin soup recipe of my Mom's with a dash of a local restaurant known as Stoneys who make the best Squash-Pear soup.

Curried Pumpkin-Pear Soup

1 onion chopped
1 large stalk of celery chopped
2 tbsp of butter

In large pot (or I use the Cusinart Soup maker) melt butter and saute onion and celery until soft.  About 5 minutes.

Add:

1 tsp of curry (more to taste)
1/8 tsp of ginger
1/8 tsp of nutmeg
1 tbsp of flour

Mix

Add:

1 -2 cups of pumpkin puree (canned is fine)
1 pear

2 cups of chicken stock (bouillon is fine)

Simmer for at least 1/2 hour.

Puree soup with blender.  (I can do all of the in the soup maker).

Pour back into pot.  Add 1 cup of milk or cream.

Reheat but don't boil.  Serve