Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

I make this soup every Thanksgiving in honor of a young woman named Emily who first made it for our extended family in 2005.  Sadly, she passed away in the Spring of 2006, so I always think of her when I cook a big double batch for our holiday feast. I didn't know her well, but I remember her cooking the soup for everyone with a smile on her face.

This year, I used one fewer pear (and cream instead of half & half) and received even more compliments than ever before.  Oh, and I added a few cloves of garlic, too. (My changes are reflected below.)

The key to the rich, savory flavor is the caramelization of the onions and pears.  It's yummy any time of year, so don't wait until next November to try it out, if you like this sort of thing.

Best of all, this soup gets a thumbs-up from both my picky-ish (when it comes to veggies and soups, anyway) husband and the babies!

Butternut Squash and Pear Soup
Based on a recipe from The New Vegetarian Epicure
Serves 6-8

1 pound butternut squash (about 10 oz. trimmed and seeded)
1 large yam (about 10 oz.)
2 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups water
1 stick cinnamon
3/4 t salt
2 T butter
2 medium onions, sliced
3-5 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 large Anjou or Bartlett pears
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup half and half (or cream)
white pepper to taste
garnish: chopped chives

1. Peel, seed, and dice the squash. Peel and dice the yam. Put them both in a pot with the vegetable broth, water, cinnamon stick, and salt, and simmer until tender, about 40 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick. 
2. Melt the butter and gently cook the onions and garlic in it, stirring occasionally, until it begins to caramelize. Peel, core, and thinly slice the pears, and add them to the onions. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the wine, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. 
3. Add the pear mixture to the soup and puree everthing in a blender in batches. [Or use an immersion blender.] Add the cream and some white pepper, and a bit more salt only if needed. Heat the soup again just to a simmer, but do not boil. Serve plain or garnished with chopped chives (or sprigs of cilantro would work, too).