• Wash hands thoroughly, lathering with soap and rinsing under running water before beginning prep.

Prep pumpkin/squash, apples, and onion

• Wash and dry the pumpkin or squash. Peel them and cut in half. Remove the seeds an chop into medium cubes or about an inch or slightly larger.
• Wash and dry the apples and remove the core. Create thick apple wedges from each half and then slice across the wedges creating pieces.
• Peel the onion and then wash and dry it. Cut the onion in half. Slice longitudinally through the onion half up to the stem end. Then, slice across to create diced pieces.

Making the Soup

• Heat the olive oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat and add pumpkin/squash cubes, apples or pears and onion. Stir to coat with fat and cook, stirring often, for a few minutes until onion is translucent. Season with salt and pepper.

  2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 pound pumpkin and/or butternut squash 1 pound apples or pears 1 large onion salt black pepper
• Add the stock (or water), wine, and dried spices (tarragon OR ginger and cloves). Bring to a boil; then, lower heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 30 minutes, until pumpkin/squash is soft.

  4 ½ cups chicken stock ½ cup white wine ½ teaspooon tarragon ½ teaspoon ginger pinch cloves
• Cool for a few minutes; then, use a hand-held immersion blender to puree, or use a regular blender and puree in batches. (Soup can be cooled and refrigerated at this point up to 3 days until you are ready to serve it.)
• Heat soup thoroughly but do not boil. Add half and half (or coconut or oat milk) and continue heating, taking care not to bring soup to a boil.

  Ladle into cups or bowls and garnish with an additional drizzle of olive oil, if desired.

  Enjoy!

  ½ cup half and half