This week's "Freezer Soup of the Week" (Holiday edition- because I took it to our annual Christmas Eve family soup supper)

First - make veggie stock, using (as usual) the end bits/skins/peels, innards of all the veggies I ate or froze this winter.

Secondly, get a bag of roasted root veggies out of the freezer. This summer, when we had a glut of veggies from the csa, I roasted huge pans of carrots, garlic, turnips, potatoes, beets, onions and parsnips in the oven, with generous helping of rosemary, basil, thyme, black pepper, sea salt, and olive oil, and froze the leftovers for winter soups.

Blend together the defrosted root veggies and veggie stock, until rich and creamy. (This could be a delightful simple soup as is - with a bit of sour cream dolloped on top, and a sprinkling of Penzey's amazing smoked spanish paprika for both color and flavor).

But, instead - I salt-roasted some potatoes - okay, a lot of potatoes. I coated large baking potatoes in butter, rolled them in sea salt, and roasted them in a 400 degree oven until they were done. I chopped them, skins and all, and added them to the soup, added loads of freshly cracked black pepper, some whole Jersey milk, and huge handfuls of grated local gouda cheese.

It was pretty darn good. I'm glad I have lots to eat for leftovers.