I am a member of a Community Supported Agriculture program for a local farm (Sustainable Harvest Farm). This winter the farm is trying something new and exciting with their monthly shares by making them customizable! It is a wonderful thing to pick out your preferences and then get the email of what to expect in your box AND THEN be able to make adjustments. For example, I like squash, but I still had a butternut, acorn and spaghetti squash sitting unused from my previous share. I figured I better use those up before I welcomed more into my kitchen. I had loved the celery in the previous share and in my zeal I switched out two winter squash for several additional bundles of celery. It wasn't until I saw the actual five heads of celery staring back at me from the box of produce that I realized my error. I love celery, but how was I going to consume this much so quickly?!?!

That's when I decided to look for cream of celery soup recipes. After considering several, I went for this one on Genius Kitchen because it sounded pretty simple and straightforward, and with enough cream to be delicious. It was a delight to make AND both my husband, myself and our two year old absolutely loved it. This is going in our "favorites" list.

Step 1: Ingredient List

3 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 pounds celery ribs, sliced (I just used all my celery. I don't know how much it weighed)

2 large onions (I just used one onion. Because I wanted cream of CELERY soup, not cream of ONION soup.)

3 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons flour

6 cups chicken broth (reduced sodium, says the recipe)

1 bay leaf

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3-4 dashes hot sauce (I only did, like one or so, because my husband doesn't do spicy foods and I didn't want to take any chances)

salt

white pepper (I used black pepper)

celery leaves (for garnish)

Step 2: Let the Delicious Smells Begin.

Let me say to begin with, its a bit of a pet peeve of mine when recipes don't include the step of chopping/dicing/slicing vegetables. Most of these produce items come whole and we have to stand in our kitchens and chop/slice/dice before we can even get started with step one. And if you're slow like me you won't even be finished with the silent first step of preparing the veggies in the entire "active time" of the recipes.

So yes, I am starting at the point after the celery and onion has been sliced. But, good job getting through my least favorite part of the recipe process and on to step one (b). :)

In a large sauce pan (or soup pot), melt the butter and add the celery, onions and garlic. Cook over medium heat until soft.

Step 3: Add a "thickener."

Add three tablespoons of flour and cook on low heat for approximately two minutes.

Step 4: Add Broth.

Add chicken broth and bay leaf, heat to boiling and simmer for about half an hour.

Step 5: Puree.

Remove the bay leaf and puree as best for your blender. The recipe says in small batches, but mine handles it well all at once, so that's how I do it.

Step 6: Add Cream.

Add cream, lemon juice, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Reheat and simmer for about five minutes.

You can garnish with celery leaves if you wish. I put some on for the cover photo, but I have found that neither my husband nor my two year old care for such things. What we all did love was some cheesy garlic bread I made to accompany the soup. I rolled out a refrigerated thin pizza crust and added a little olive oil, minced garlic and shredded cheese. It was the perfect accompaniment.

Enjoy!