Pumpkin Curry Soup

1. Melt butter over medium heat, adding the celery, carrots, and onion. Cook for ten minutes and stir occasionally until tender. Add curry power and pumpkin pie spice. Cook and stir 1 minute.

2. Add water, broth, and pumpkin. Increase heat to medium-high; bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat to cool slightly (this is important or you will get burned in this next step). Just a forewarning from someone who knows.

4. In a food processor or blender, add one-third of the pumpkin mixture at a time and blend until smooth. Return all pumpkin mixture to pot.

5. Stir in half-and-half, salt, and pepper; heat thoroughly.

I added some smokey meaty goodness and fried a few pieces of bacon to crumble on top. Of course you could top it with Gouda crumbles or croutons or something equally delicious and unhealthy.