Cream of Carrot Soup

Let me start out right now with an apology. I did not intend to go this long without a blog post. But, I am a working mother, so sometimes life gets in the way.

This is one of my family's all time favorite soup recipes. This soup is so good, that H requests it, a lot. We first tried the soup almost 4 years ago, when my sweet H was born. A neighbor gave us a pot of this as part of dinner she made us. We usually have all the ingredients in the refrigerator/ pantry, which is a plus.

This comes together in under an hour. It goes even faster when you use baby carrots and don't have to peel! I will sometimes throw in an extra handful of carrots just because. It doesn't throw anything off. You could also make this vegetarian and use vegetable broth. I prefer chicken broth because I think it has more flavor. I use milk, lately 2%, but you can go all out and use cream. I like to eat more than one bowl, and would feel WAY too guilty doing that, but you can.

I have a stick, or immersion blender, and use that vs. pouring it in batches into the blender. If you do pour by the batch into the blender, be very careful and don't fill the jar of the blender too full. That is an accident waiting to happen.

This makes a very large batch of soup. We usually have enough for everyone to have at least a bowl, remember I have two, and a large container for the freezer, and another container in the refrigerator. 

The soup freezes very well.

                     

Cream of Carrot Soup

4  tablespoons  butter

2 onions -- chopped

12 carrots -- peeled and sliced (6 cups)

3  stalks  celery ribs -- chopped  (not too many or will taste bitter)

5 medium  potatoes -- peeled and diced

10  cups  chicken broth

1 cup  whole milk -- or cream

salt and pepper -- to taste

Melt butter in large pot; add onion, carrots, and celery; then cook uncovered 10-15 min, stirring ocassionally. Add potatoes and stir until coated. Stir in broth and cook, partially covered, until potatoes are tender (about 20 min). Puree in blender in as many increments as necessary, with blender cautiously vented. Empty pureed portions into another large pot. When all pureed, stir in cream, add salt and pepper to taste, and reheat if necessary without boiling.