Submitted by Frannie Danzinger

• 1/4 cup chopped shallots
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons walnut oil
• 1/4 cup unbleached, all purpose flour
• 4 cups chicken broth (prefer organic with no MSG)
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 16 ounce canned pumpkin (most canned pumpkin comes in
• 15.5 ounce cans.  I usually buy a second can and add
• just a drop more.)
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup (not Aunt Jemima)
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup half and half
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

In a 3-quart saucepan cook shallots, onions and ginger in hot walnut oil over medium heat until tender, but not brown.  Stir in flour.  Add chicken broth and cider all at once.

Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.  Stir in pumpkin, maple syrup, bay leaves, cinnamon, thyme, pepper and cloves.  Return to boiling; reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat. Discard bay leaves.   Cool slightly.  In a food processor or blender, cover and blend mixture in 3 or 4 batches.

Return soup to the saucepan. Stir in half and half and vanilla. Heat through but DO NOT BOIL. Makes 8 cups.

A few notes:  You can cook and blend the pumpkin mixture up to 24 hours ahead and chill.  To serve, just heat the soup, stir in the half and half and vanilla, and heat through, but DO NOT BOIL.

Enjoy!  This is my Favorite Recipe!!!