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Oh hey little vampires. It's the Saturday before Halloween, and hopefully everyone is busy doing last minute party touches and finalizing costumes. As with any holiday, there are always traditions. Every year at halloween, I make one thing that has been a tradition for the last 12 years. It's Shoo Vampire soup. With 5 whole heads of garlic, it is bound to ward off any and all vampires. However, it's one of the finest soups every created and it has become a tradition in our home.

Today's project is to create a tradition of your own for Halloween. Carve a pumpkin, make a special recipe or listen to a spooky sound track. Whatever you do today make it human and alive. It's the only way to to keep the vampires away well at this tasty soup "Shoo Vampire Soup" adapted from "Halloween: The Best Of Martha Stewart Living."{affiliate link}

Shoo Vampire Soup
serves 8 to 10

5 small heads of garlic (yes, heads of garlic
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large leeks, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced, well washed
1 bunch fresh thyme
8 springs fresh flat leaf parsley
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-ince dice
4 fourteen-and-a-half-ounce cans low sodium chicken stock or 7 cups homemade chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Snipped chives, for garnish

Step 1: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wrap 3 heads of garlic in aluminum foil; roast for 45 minutes. Let cool, halve crosswise, and squeeze garlic from cloves. Reserve garlic puree, discarding papery skins. Peel remaining 2 heads of garlic.

Step 2: In a 6-quart stockpot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add leeks and garlic cloves; stirring frequently cook until translucent but not browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Tie thyme and parsley into a bundle with with kitchen twine and then tie to the pot handle. Add herb bundle to pot along with potatoes, stock, and garlic puree. Raise heat to medium; simmer until potatoes are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Discard herb bundle. Using an emersion blender, {affiliate link} blend soup until smooth. Stir in cream; season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.