Pumpkin Soup

This pumpkin soup recipe is sooooooooo good.  I bought a big pumpkin for 10 cents a lb (they are now 5 cents a lb so I might just get another), cooked it up and made pumpkin puree just like I did last year.  I always pick highly-rated and most-popular healthy recipes from allrecipes.com and I always look at the comments.  Always.  The comments are extremely helpful, and even they are rated according to how good they are.  The comments at the top are the ones users feel make the recipe the best.  I added celery and a bay leaf to this recipe thanks to the comments and I think it made all the difference.  I've never had a soup that tasted so much like thanksgiving stuffing in my life - and I LOVE stuffing.  Marquie and Patrick were here and can testify of how delicious it is.  Replace the bouillon cube broth I used with James' homemade chicken stock and this soup would probably be the best soup I've ever had.  James and Liz - you must tell me if you make this with your homemade broth.

Pumpkin Soup

• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 cups fresh pumpkin puree
• 1 med-large onion, chopped
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1 cup milk

Heat all ingredients except the milk in a large stockpot.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes [I simmered for about 2 hours because I had the time].  Remove bay leaf, puree in blender or food processor and return to pan.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for another 30 minutes.  Stir in milk and serve.