Curried Carrot Soup

When the rain pours down and the wind whips and howls like it has been all week, I love making this simple, delicious soup!

Put a deep sauce pan on the stove, and pour a tablespoon of olive oil into it. Turn the heat on to medium-low. Then peel and dice half of a medium onion. Add it to the pot. In the meantime, peel and dice a pound of carrots. When the onion is translucent, add the carrots to the pot. At this point, you can also add a teaspoon of minced garlic and a knob of ginger (peel it first). I like to add both! Add a few grinds of fresh pepper, and a few shakes of crushed red pepper (more if you like it spicier).

Pour enough chicken stock over the carrots to just cover them. If you like your soup a little thinner, add enough to cover them by an inch to an inch and a half.

Turn the heat up to high, and boil until the carrots are soft when pierced with a knife. Take the pot off the heat, and place on a trivet or wooden cutting board. Puree the soup with an immersion blender, or do it in *small* batches in a blender (it will rapidly expand when you turn it on). Be careful, the mixture is very hot! (If you're using an immersion blender, don't place it against the bottom but don't lift it too high in the mixture either or it will splash everywhere.)

Once blended, return the pot to the stove. Add a tablespoon or two (depending on how hot you like it) of curry powder. I usually use the yellow blend, but the red is great as well (it's just hotter)! If you like a milder or creamier soup, you can stir in a half cup or so of plain yogurt, sour cream, or milk at this point as well. Salt to taste, and simmer to blend all the flavors together (at least ten minutes).

Serve and enjoy!