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Cream of Asparagus Soup with Crusty Bread and Bistro Salad
by Jes Mostek
 
In addition to the recipes, you will also need the following for this meal:
  1 loaf  crusty bread

Recipes:
Bistro Salad
by Jes Mostek
serves: 6
  Romaine and fresh spinach topped with chopped apples, nuts, cranberries, cheese and a creamy poppyseed dressing.

This recipe makes enough for 6, but if you're making it for just your family you may want to reserve a portion of the salad without dressing, since once it's been "dressed," it won't be much good the next day.

But don't be too shocked if even your kids want to lick the bowl clean from this salad!

A note on the apple: use a really yummy one like Gala, Pink Lady, or Braeburn. A Red Delicious apple might be too bland to even get noticed with all the other flavors in this salad.
Ingredients:
  2 c.   chopped romaine leaves
  2 c.   fresh baby spinach leaves
  1 lg.   apple, chopped
  1/4 c.   chopped cashews
  1/4 c.   sunflower seeds
  1/4 c.   pumpkin seeds (optional)
  1/4 c.   dried cranberries
  1/2 c.   shredded monterey jack cheese, loosely packed
  1/2 c.   creamy poppyseed dressing
Directions:
  Rinse and dry (spin, skake, or pat with paper towels) the romaine and spinach. And chop the apple.

In a large mixing bowl, toss together the romaine, spinach, chopped apple, chopped cashews, sunflower seeds (also called sunflower nuts), pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, cheese and poppyseed dressing.

You may need to adjust the amounts of any of the ingredients (especially the cranberries or the dressing-- you may want more) to suit your individual tastes. Go ahead-- make it your own!
Cream of Asparagus Soup
by Jes Mostek
serves: 10
  If you have only had creamy soups premade in a can you really OWE it to yourself to make them at home. My daughter claims to hate asparagus but after begrudgingly trying her "no thank you bite" she was begging for her own bowl. NOTE: I highly recommend adding a little half and half to each bowl rather than the whole batch because then you don't have to worry about curdling the milk when you reheat left overs and the presentation of the swirl in the middle of your soup (topped with parmesan) is also really pretty!
Ingredients:
  6.6666666666667 tbsp   Unsalted Butter
  5 (15 oz.) cans   asparagus
  0.41666666666667 c.   chopped onion
  5 stalks   Celery, chopped
  5 Tbsp   All Purpose Flour
  5 T.   flour
  1.6666666666667 pt.   cream or half & half
  5 c.   chicken broth
  1.6666666666667 tsp.   fresh ground pepper
  1.6666666666667 lb   Fresh Asparagus, trimmed and chopped
  1.6666666666667 Tbsp   Soy Sauce
  0.41666666666667 tsp   Ground Pepper
  0.41666666666667 tsp   White Pepper
  0.41666666666667 tsp   Salt
  0.83333333333333 cup   Shredded Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (to garnish)
Directions:
  Place a large pot on the stove on low heat and add your butter and olive oil. Start by trimming and chopping your onion. Add to the pot once your butter has melted. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and put a lid on your pot while you prep your other veggies. Clean and chop up your celery and potato. Stir your onions and after they are soft add the water, Chicken Bullion Powder, soy sauce and then the celery and potatoes. (The soy sauce changes the color and you worry you're ruined it but never fear, it turns more green when you put it in the blender) Stir and cover with lid turning your heat up to medium. Prep your Asparagus and chop into bite sized pieces, placing in bowl. Stir your pot and allow to cook until the potatoes and celery are soft. Once your potatoes and celery have cooked add your Asparagus, Ground Pepper and White Pepper. Replace lid and allow to cook about 4-5 minutes then blend your soup either by pouring into a blender or using an immersion blender (yes, I'm adding this to my Christmas list!). Your soup is ready! Serve into your bowls and had 3 Tablespoons of Half and Half into the center of the bowl, swirling it around a little and topping with Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese. Serve and be prepared to have everyone be super impressed. (My cheese sounds fancy and refined but I get a big container in the refrigerated cheese section of Costco...usually with kids about to melt down, lol).