Weeknight supper delight: Winter root veggie soup

Soooooo, I absolutely adore Seattle, but OH MY FREAKIN GOSH friends.  It has been pissing rain for about a week straight now.  The gray depressing kind of rain that really gets  you down.  I've been trying to lift my spirits with holiday goodness, but it's been an uphill battle.  I've also been battling some things with that awful job I quit a month ago...... yep....... still battling that demon.  Ah sigh.... well, this time tomorrow begins our WEEK of loved one visitings.  I can't wait.  I need it so so badly this week. :(

Anyways........ enough downer talk.  Let's make some soup!!!  Although the rain is tough to take, the winter root veggies here are suuuuuuuper tasty.  After years of getting our organic veggie bin, I am still trying to find new ways to use up these tasty gems.  Got any ideas???  Shoot them over!  I'd love to hear them! 

The stars of the show!

The begger

The finale

I like this soup with butter, cream, and chicken stock, but it is very easily made a vegan soup by subbing olive oil, veggie stock, and omitting the cream.

Here's your recipe:
Makes about 6 large servings

Ingredients:
1 smallish yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon of butter (sub with additional olive oil for vegan)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
2 yams, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
3 cups water
3 cups chicken stock (sub with veggie stock for vegan)
1 tablespoon black pepper (or less if you like it less peppery)
1 cup heavy cream (optional)
green onions (optional for garnish)

Warm butter and olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add chopped onion and garlic.  Saute until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, about  3 minutes.  Add carrots, parsnips, yams, and red pepper to pot.  Cook about 10 minutes, stirring often,  just until veggies begin to soften.  Add water and stock, bring to a boil.  Boil until root veggies can be easily mashed with a fork.

Using an immersion blender (or a regular blender in batches), blend soup together until smooth.  Add pepper and cream and blend again.

At this point, taste your soup.  It should be mildly spicy and peppery, but very creamy and earthy.  I don't like to add a lot of spices to this soup, because I love the taste of the root veggies to come through, but it would great with some rosemary and thyme.  I also don't add salt, because it is salty enough for me with the chicken stock, but you may need more salt added. 

Once the flavor rocks your world, pour soup into a bowl and garnish with chopped green onion.

This is a wonderful winter soup that I like to make in large batches to freeze for easy dinner nights.

Enjoy friends!!!

Trish