New Year's Resolutions

New Year's Resolutions?  Yep, I make them every year and this year is no exception.  Of course, my resolution usually revolves around losing weight and this year is no difference (at least I am consistent, right?).  Anyway, one of my goals this year is to cook a vegetarian meal once a week.  This has nothing to do with the conversation I had with a young man who began talking to me last week while I was putting my groceries into the trunk.  He was a dedicated vegetarian who was trying to convince me that animals had a soul.  Don't worry, I didn't fall for it, and we had a nice conversation about the purpose of life, what our beliefs were, etc.  Anyway, I did get a free book from him on vegetarian living, and needless to say, Mike was a little worried when he saw me reading it!  (I think he saw his steak dinners flying out the window!!!).  Though the book hasn't convinced me that it is wrong to eat animals, I do think a vegetarian meal once a week would be healthy, don't you?  So this week I made a delicious asparagus soup that Mike and Jules enjoyed (my sister Lora also makes this somewhat regularly, I think).  This recipe came from the NRCS cookbook -a worthwhile investment, if you are looking for good recipes.  If you like asparagus, make this soup some night and serve it with a crusty piece of bread and garnish it with a crumble of bacon and a dollop of sour cream.  Bon Appetit!

CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP
1 lb. of fresh asparagus                 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 T. butter                                      2 T. flour
4 C. chicken broth                         1/2 C. whipping cream (I used half and half)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Wash asparagus carefully to remove sand. Remove bottom "woody"part of asparagus stems.  Cut asparagus into 2" lengths.  Saute onion in hot butter for 3 minutes until softened.  Stir in flour and add chicken broth.  Add asparagus.  Cover and simmer 20 minutes.  Put soup in blender and puree until smooth.  Strain soup into a clean saucepan, add whipping cream and heat until hot.  Taste soup and add salt and pepper, to taste.