Instructions: 1. Combine the ingredients listed for step one in a large (3 to 4 quart) sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat to lowest setting and simmer until the vegetables are soft: 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Puree the soup. Pour puree into a glass storage container; cover. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days until ready to serve.

GINGER-CURRY CELERY SOUP: Warm the soup in a saucepan or microwave; add bouillon, ginger, herbs and curry-blend. Adjust salt and pepper. Serve hot.

TAMALE-PEPPER-CILANTRO SOUP: Heat the soup. Finely dice fresh cilantro, purple onion and fresh firm tomatoes. Add this relish to the soup along with a dab of cilantro-walnut pesto, Western spice blend and pepper. Heat a cheese and chile tamale; unwrap into a bowl. Fill the bowl with soup.

Description: "GINGER CURRY or TAMALE PEPPER CILANTRO"

Yield: 8 cups

NOTES : Dairy free creamy celery soup. Good any time of year with a sandwich, as an appetizer or snack. Easy to vary the seasoning and serve two different soups from the one batch. Or serve the tamale soup - which was pure comfort food. Or try the traditional celery soup: add a little cream and blue cheese.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.