Roasted Root Vegetable Soup

I finally hit my 50,000 words yesterday!!  It felt like forever, and involved coming up with two more short stories out of desperation when I clearly was not going to make the count with what I had started. Now I can start feeding myself again without feeling like it is taking away from writing time.

This was a recipe of leftovers.  The only thing I picked up new was the parsnips.  It is also low in active time, since you purée the whole thing and don't have to make any of the vegetables pretty.

The taste was intriguing.  I added the parsnips because you all may be tired of how many different ways I can turn carrots into soup.  Mixing the veggies with the rosemary gave the soup a sweet/savory combination that tasted like I had added nutmeg.  It is also a very filling soup, and much thicker than I had expected, given how watery everything looked in the pot.

*1/2 lb carrots, peeled and chopped
1 lb parsnips, peeled and chopped
*4 ribs celery, chopped
2 Tb oil, divided
*1/2 tsp dried oregano
*1 tsp dried rosemary
*1/2 C diced onion
*1 quart chicken or vegetable stock (low sodium)
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Line a baking sheet with foil and preheat oven to 400º.  Coat carrots, parsnips, and celery with 1 Tb oil and arrange on the baking sheet in a single layer.  Sprinkle with oregano and rosemary and bake until just beginning to char, about 45 minutes.  Stir every 15 minutes to keep from sticking to pan.

2.  Remove vegetables from oven and set aside.  In large saucepan, sauté onion in 1 Tb oil until browned, about 8 minutes.  Add stock and roasted vegetables and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are completely softened, about 15 minutes.

3.  Purée soup in blender in batches until smooth.  Return to heat and taste to see if it needs salt or pepper.  If too thick, thin with water.  Serve hot.

Serves 4 as lunch, 6 as an appetizer

Difficulty level :)