Food Hop - creamy celery soup

Well last nights soup attempt went off without a hitch, no exploding vegetables, no visits to the doctors just one small burn on my hand and a full stomach.
This is a basic recipe but at the same time you can probably add or take away one or two things, for example I like my soups a little thicker so I made a roux using butter and floor, and added a handful of processed cheese at the end, but I think you could probably miss these steps out if you really wanted to (I think they taste better in myself but let me know if you think otherwise)

Ingredients
2 or 3 celery sticks cleaned and chopped with the white bottoms removed but the leaves kept
1 onion chopped roughly
1 or 2 potatoes chopped roughly
1000 ml water (don't chop this)
stock (I used 2 chicken stock cubes and one soup cube for time, but for a fuller taste make your own stock before hand, boil a leek, onion, celery stick, carrot, herbs like parsley, oregano, coriander, salt and pepper 2 bay leaves and a dash of white wine in about 2 pints of water for 45 mins to 1 hour, drain and retain the stock, simple)
150 ml single cream
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons oil
salt and pepper to taste

recommended extras
30 g's flour
25 g's butter
hand full (about 1/2 - 1 cup) of cheese

Recommend extra; first make a roux by melting the butter in a thick bottomed sauce pan (they make the world go around apparently) then add the flour and stir continuously for 1 1/2 minutes, remove from heat and retain for later.

Heat the oil in a large skillet, add the celery (chopped leaves included), onion, potatoes and garlic cook on a medium to low heat until the onions and celery soften.
put into the thick bottomed sauce pan and add the water, stock (cubes or home made) bay leaves, parsley and oregano. Bring to the boil and take off some of the white froth that comes to the surface (adding more herbs if need be) cover and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Simmer for at least 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes everything should be nice and soft and smelling nice. Pour everything into a blender (or use one of the those hand ones) I know its obvious but please be careful as the liquid is very very hot I managed to burn my hand more than once whilst doing this. Blend everything very well until all the veg is blended, pour back in the saucepan and keep on a low heat.

If you made a roux earlier then slowly add the roux bit by bit stirring continuously until its been absorbed, leave for 5 minutes stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

On a low heat slowly add the cream, leaving for 1 or 2 minutes to mix, add salt and pepper to taste.

I then added the cheese and cooked until melted to produce a wonderfully filling soup.

To serve, pour into a bowl and gently add a small stream of cream onto the top, add chopped crispy bacon and a nice crusty loaf on the side for a nice finishing touch.
As always ideas, suggestions and what not are welcome.

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