Sophia Petrillo may have cooked up Italian classics on The Golden Girls, but in real life, Bea Arthur was the one who loved to cook.

"I love to invent recipes," Arthur said in a 1975 interview with the Chicago Tribune-N.Y. News Syndicate. "I like to fool around in the garden, too, and watch things grow. I enjoy anything that has to do with homemaking."

"I like to make up recipes using fresh dill. I make a hearty lamb stew. I put in everything, including a lot of fresh herbs. I do quick things, too, like a filet of sole done with butter and fresh mint, parsley and dill. My only complaint is that I don't have enough time to do all those things."

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In the interview, Arthur included one of her favorite recipes that her whole family loved in the California heat: a chilled carrot soup!

Here's the recipe, so you can recreate it yourself:

Bea Arthur's Cream of Carrot Soup

Serves 4

1 medium onion, peeled, sliced

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

4 carrots, peeled, sliced

1 stalk celery with leaves

2 cups homemade chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

Ground white pepper to taste

3/4 cup half and half (light cream and milk)

Chopped fresh dill or parsley, for garnish

Sauté onion in margarine or butter until limp. Place sautéed onion in saucepan with carrot, celery and chicken stock. Cover, simmer 15 minutes. Transfer contents of saucepan to electric blender. Add salt and white pepper. Cover, whirl a few seconds. Uncover, add half and half. Cover, turn on blender. Whirl to blend until smooth. Chill before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh dill or parsley.