Blended Harvest Ginger Soup

As far as harvest-time soups go, this one is a favorite of mine.  The creamy blended texture makes you feel like you are eating something very decadent...  and the strong essence of ginger warms your blood as well as your belly.  I've topped it off here with some homemade croutons, a quick thrifty way to make use of stale bread.  The recipe below calls for sweet potatoes, carrots, and apples, but butternut squash (like in a similar version from one of my all-time favorite cookbooks, Simply in Season) or hard green pears would also be great additions to this pot.  

Recipe:

-oil

-1/2 large onion, chopped

-3 cloves garlic, minced

-3 sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

-10 carrots, roughly chopped

-2 apples, cored and roughly chopped

-4-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

-4 c broth (chicken or vegetable)

-salt and pepper

-1/4 c half and half

-stale bread (optional, see TIP below)

->  Saute onion and garlic in oil over medium heat in a large stew pot until translucent.  Add potatoes, carrots, apples, and ginger as you chop them.  Add broth and season with salt and pepper.  Simmer covered for about 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are fork-tender.  

Ladle soup into a blender or food processor and blend smooth in batches.  You will want to leave the hole in the top of your blender lid open and cover with a dish rag so that steam can escape.  

Once you return the soup to the pot, adjust seasoning and add more ginger if needed.  Finish with a splash of cream or half and half if desired (but not necessary).  Top with croutons (see TIP below) or eat with crusty bread.  

~*TIP:  Cut a loaf of stale bread into cubes, toss with oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Spread on a cookie sheet and put under the broiler until browned.  *~