Wisewebwoman Woodstove Soup.

(My photo is one of the last jugs of the wild flowers of Newfoundland, taken in late September to remind us that yes, Virginia, there's going to be a Spring)

By popular request: here is the recipe.

Note: this can be a totally vegan/vegetarian soup if chicken stock is substituted with a good vegetable stock.

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken stock – or vegetarian stock
4 cups pumpkin (fresh or canned), seeds reserved and roasted for topping soup or saving.
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
2 medium onions finely chopped and sautéed in a bit of sesame oil until golden.
1 cup julienned carrot
1 cup julienned turnip
1 cup julienned parsnip
2 cups julienned potato
3 large celery stalks finely chopped
1 or 2 large Portobello mushroom finely chopped.
1 tablespoon of smoked paprika spice (this is the really, really secret ingredient – it has to be the smoked, OK?)

(Note: julienning is running all veggies through the julienne-slice disc on a food processor or cutting the veggies in sticks about half the size of a normal French fry.)

Throw everything in large cast-iron stockpot or slow cooker crockpot mixing it up real good, stirring when you think of it, and slow cooking/simmering for a minimum of 4 hours or until the aroma drives you mental with desire.

I get about 12 very decent servings out of this. It's a complete meal with Irish soda bread and cheese on the side.

If a thinner soup is desired, just add water.

This freezes beautifully in meal size portions.