The Monster and Springtime Monster Soup

Today, after my daughter and I read an Olivia book before her nap (Olivia is a pig version of my daughter), I asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. The answer usually varies between a veterinarian, an artist, a princess or a ballerina. Today she looked me in the eye and said "I want to be a monster."

"O....what do monsters do?"

"The ride in cars and throw candy when you yell at them."

We took her to a Halloween parade and she thinks the people in the cars were nice monsters who throw candy when you yell candy at them. She has quite the imagination.

All morning she was sitting under her art table drawing quietly in every (and I do mean every) book within her reach.

The weather was cloudy all day so we could not adventure outside. Instead I brought a little bit of spring inside. I made cream of asparagus soup. It was a nice thick bright green soup. I knew my daughter wouldn't touch it. She always asks the names of things we are eating, so after I announced that dinner was served, she immediately asked what we were having.

"Monster Soup. Its what the babies in Shrek eat."

She gobbled up two bowls full and said she could taste the waddles. I don't know what she meant by waddles, but later, during bath time, she said she felt like she was turning into a monster because of the soup. She growled, my son laughed. They both went to sleep well fed and sweet smelling. What a wonderful end to the day.

Monster Soup

1 lb of fresh asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 cup of chopped onion

2 cups of chicken broth

2 Tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of flour

1 teaspoon of salt

pinch of pepper

1 cup of milk

1/2 cup sour cream

Place asparagus, chopped onion and 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until asparagus is tender, about 12 minutes. Process in a blender until smooth. Set aside.

Melt the butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper to make a roux. Stir for 2 minutes. Add the rest of the chicken broth. Cook, stirring constantly until it boils. Add the asparagus mixture.

Put sour cream into a bowl. Stir in a ladlefull of the hot soup. Add sour cream mixture to soup. Heat to serving temperature, but do not allow it to boil.

We ate it with slice of rye bread and butter with fresh strawberries for desert. Delicious.

Have a good night and a good tomorrow.