Cooking Light Golden Winter Soup With Gruyere Toasts - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
5 cups butternut squash, cubed & peeled (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 cups russet potatoes, cubed & peeled (about 12 ounces)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 cups leeks, sliced (about 2 medium)
4 cups reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
12 ounces baguette, cut into 16 slices
3/4 cup gruyere cheese, shredded (3 ounces)
3 tablespoons chives, chopped
fresh ground black pepper (optional)

Preparation

Preheat broiler.
Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add squash, potato, salt, and pepper to pan; saute 3 minutes. Add leek; saute 1 minute. Stir in broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally.
Place half of potato mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl.
Repeat procedure with remaining potato mixture.
Stir in half-and-half.
Cover and keep warm.
For Gruyere Toasts:
Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Broil bread slices 2 minutes or until golden.
Ladle 1 cup soup into each of 8 bowls; top each serving with about 1 teaspoon chives. Serve 2 bread slices with each serving. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper, if desired.