mmm, this looks good!!

Ginger-Scented Apple-Squash Soup

side dishes


POINTS® Value: 3
Servings: 10
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 90 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
This soup highlights some of fall's best ingredients: fresh apples and sugar-sweet squash. It's delicious made with pears instead of apples, too.






Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Tbsp ginger root, grated
• 1 medium leek(s), white part only, coarsely chopped
• 4 3/4 oz frozen apple juice concentrate (undiluted), about 1/2 cup
• 3 large apple(s), Golden Delicious, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
• 3 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut in chunks (about 1 large squash)*
• 4 cup canned chicken broth, divided
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup fat-free half and half

Instructions

• Combine ginger, leek and apple juice concentrate in a large pot; cover and simmer until leeks are tender, about 10 minutes. Add apples, squash and 1 cup of broth; cover and simmer until very tender, about 1 hour.
• Purée soup in pot using a hand-held immersion blender. Or purée soup in a blender in small batches (be careful not to splatter hot liquid) and return puréed soup to pot.
• Add remaining 3 cups of broth, salt and pepper; simmer until heated through, about 10 minutes. Stir in half and half and serve. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Notes

• *Partially cooking a hard-shell squash makes it easier to peel. Pierce the gourd in several places with a fork, microwave on HIGH for 6 to 10 minutes, depending on size, and then peel.

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