Sweet Potato Soup

Mmmmm, I made some yummy soup for us tonight and I have to share my excitement and the "recipe" (it won't be exact...bear with me!).

As I was taking this photo, I had a bit of déjà vu; it turns out that I have been exuberant over sweet potato soup before--here's a 2009 version on gearheadmom.com (with more exotic ingredients like parsnips and turnips and butternut squash).

Tonight's soup is waaaay easy.  Here's the recipe:

Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients:

a quarter-stick of butter (or olive oil)
4 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 onion (I used red because that's what I had), chopped
A handful of carrots, diced (because I had some--not necessary)
3 cups (or so) of chicken (or veg) broth
2 cups (or so) of milk (I used 1%--but how about coconut milk?)
3 dates (because I had some)
a clove of garlic, minced
a teaspoon cinnamon or cinnamon stick
a teaspoon nutmeg or to taste
a teaspoon ginger or to taste
4 fresh sage leaves (because I had some; not necessary or use dried)
pepper to taste

Sauté onions, potatoes, and carrots in butter till onions are translucent.  
Add spices and dates and stir to coat vegetables.  
Add broth and bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer till potatoes/vegetables are soft.
Remove cinnamon stick.
Add milk, stir, and blend soup with immersion blender (if you don't have one of these, you need one!!) until smooth.
Simmer till ready to eat.

Add maple syrup or cayenne paper for sweetness or spice.

Garnish with toasted nuts (pinenuts, hazelnuts, etc.) and/or sage.