So, I've been sort of busy lately.

Between starting a new job and finishing a new cookbook, 100 Delicious, Unexpected Things to Make with Pizza Dough (which you should TOTALLY pre-order!), in the past few months, I haven't found much time to pay attention to what started it all: This. Here. You.

But please don't think I forgot about you. I actually think about you all the time. Recipes I want to write for you, tips and tricks I want you to know about. But, I'm embarrassed to admit I haven't really been cooking a whole lot lately. My office brings food in during the day, and then by nighttime, I'm usually way too exhausted to cook anything worth posting here. I know. Lame.

But that's about to change because guess what? That second book? It just went off to the publisher, and will be in your hot little hands come November. It features 100 different things to do with my very favorite ingredient, pizza dough, and will have a hard cover and the most absolutely gorgeous photos I have ever seen, courtesy of photo-genius, Frankie Frankeny. Here it is--I'm stoked, to say the least.

But like I said, it's done now, and that means I have a little bit more time in my day to cook delicious things for you.

So, like any good meal, I'm starting with soup.

The secret to making the carrots in this soup smooth and creamy is simple: cook the bejeasus out of them. No need to strain them--just cook them way past when you think they're done.

I like to serve this soup with crusty wholegrain bread and a crunchy green salad or slaw for a simple lunch. You could top it with a dollop of plain yogurt, or creme fraiche, but i like to add a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil and a few grains of flaky sea salt for added luxuriousness.