Gingered Butternut Squash Soup

• 2 butternut squash (about 4 1/2 pounds)
• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
• 1 cup peeled, cored, and chopped pear (about 1 large)
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 1 cup fat-free half-and-half
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375u0b0.
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise. Remove seeds. Reserve seeds for toasting. Place squash, cut sides down, on a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 375u0b0 for 50 minutes or until skin pierces easily with a fork. Scoop out pulp; set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 325u0b0.
4. To toast seeds, rinse seeds and pat dry. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325u0b0 for 15 minutes or until crisp and lightly browned, stirring every 5 minutes.
5. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium- high heat. Add onion, pear, and ginger. Saute 10 minutes or until tender. Add squash pulp and 1 can broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
6. Place mixture in a blender or food processor. Process in batches until smooth. Pour mixture through a strainer into a bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon.
7. Return soup to Dutch oven. Add 1 can broth, half-and-half, and next 5 ingredients. Cook over medium heat until thoroughly heated, stirring often. Spoon into serving bowls, and top with toasted seeds.

butternut squash, cooking spray, butter, onion, pear, fresh ginger, chicken broth, honey, ground coriander, curry powder, salt, ground red pepper

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/gingered-butternut-squash-soup (may not work)