Celery Cream Soup

I grew up in a farming community, with lots of church potlucks. I was a Calvinette, sort of a Christian Reformed version of Girl Scouts. One of the things I learned about cooking throughout my formative years was this: Cream of Mushroom, Cream of Celery, Cream of Chicken are all pretty much interchangeable, and they come in a Campbell’s can.

So imagine my surprise when, after decades of holding this belief, I came across a recipe for Celery Cream Soup in Simply in Season.

Celery Cream Soup – PRINTABLE VERSION

2 cups onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups celery, chopped
3 cups vegetable broth (or chicken)
1 cup evaporated milk

1. In a soup pot, saute’ onion and garlic in 1 T oil until soft, about 4-5 minutes.

2. Add the celery and cook over medium heat 10 minutes, covered. Stir occasionally.

3. Add the broth and bring to a low boil. Cook uncovered until the liquid is reduced to about half and the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Puree’.

4. Stir in the evaporated milk and heat through over medium heat.

5. Garnish in bowls with crushed celery seeds, cracked pepper, or croutons.

Servings: 4

The verdict: Remembering the Maple Parsnip Soup incident, I used the “boat motor” sparingly and made sure to keep the soup on the chunky side. The result? Fabulous! It didn’t remind me at all of the gloopy stuff in the can. I don’t think I’ve ever appreciated celery as celery, you know? Previously it was just for adding crunch or a convenient way of serving peanut butter.

Kitchen Tip: You can substitute evaporated milk for 1 C milk + 1/3 C dry milk powder. I do this all. the. time. So handy!

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/4 of a recipe (14.7 ounces).
Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 262.62
Calories From Fat (23%) 60.96
% Daily Value
Total Fat 6.92g 11%
Saturated Fat 3.41g 17%
Cholesterol 19.5mg 7%
Sodium 958.22mg 40%
Potassium 782.71mg 22%
Total Carbohydrates 31.66g 11%
Fiber 4.43g 18%
Sugar 11.95g

This post linked to Real Food Wednesday