My meatloaf always has a terrible way of drying out so the night I made this recipe I was looking for a way to keep it especially moist. With the extra bread crumbs and the cream, this recipe definitely hit the mark – and it’s the best meat loaf I’ve ever had. I kept one loaf free of sauce when I served it, as my husband isn’t a big sauce-eater or dipper, but he even wanted some (I think because the rest of ours looked so good!)
Everyone really loved this and, because the loaves are so small, they make for a great weeknight supper too, when you’re in a rush! And the tastiness really can’t be stressed enough!
Ingredients:
For the sauce:
1 can whole tomatoes, with juice, crushed with hands 3 large cloves garlic, minced 1 bay leaf, dried 1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon onion salt 1 tablespoon dried basil 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 teaspoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
For the loaves: 1 pound ground beef 1 tablespoon dried basil 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon ground mustard 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 cups bread crumbs, plus 1 cup 2 eggs 1/4 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup butter, melted 2 cloves garlic, minced
Directions:
1.) In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, combine all of the ingredients for the sauce and mix thoroughly. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to medium-low. Cover and continue to simmer for 30 – 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly oil 4 individual aluminum pot pie shells.
3.) Meanwhile, break eggs into a small bowl and add 1/4 cup heavy cream; beat lightly.
4.) In a large bowl, mix together: ground beef, basil, oregano, mustard, salt, pepper, 2 cloves garlic, egg and cream mixture, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of bread crumbs. Lightly mix together but do not over-mix! Scoop up a handful at a time once mixed, and place into pot pie shell; gently press down to create an even surface. Continue filling the remaining pie shells with the remaining meat.
5.) Place 1/4 cup melted butter in a small bowl and add 1 cup of bread crumbs. Stir to thoroughly combine. Place 1/4 cup of bread crumbs onto each meat loaf and spread to entirely cover meat.
6.) Place in a preheated oven and bake 30 – 40 minutes until thoroughly cooked.
7.) When loaves are finished cooking, remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before removing from pie shell. Then generously spoon tomato sauce over top.
Shake N’ Bake was always one of my favourite meals as a kid and this is a version that’s just like it, but tastes much better. When you make it yourself you don’t have to worry about the added sodium, additives, and preservatives, and it just tastes so much fresher and so much better. Plus, these are super easy and super quick – and drumsticks are super cheap too!
Ingredients:
6 chicken legs 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour Pinch of salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs 1 tablespoon paprika 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon parsley flakes 1 teaspoon onion salt 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon black pepper Pinch of cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Directions:
1.) Rinse chicken legs and pat dry. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly oil a cookie sheet.
2.) Line 3 shallow bowls on the counter. To the first add all-purpose flour, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of black pepper; stir to combine. Crack the eggs into the second bowl and lightly beat with a fork. To the third bowl add: bread crumbs, paprika, oregano, parsley flakes, onion salt, garlic powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine.
3.) One at a time, coat the chicken legs entirely with flour, then dip and turn to entirely coat in eggs. Then place in bread crumb mixture and toss and turn to entirely coat in bread crumbs. Place on oiled cookie sheet. When all chicken legs are breaded, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
4.) Place into preheated oven and bake for 45 – 60 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
5.) Remove from oven and let chicken rest for 5 minutes.
These may seem like simple chocolate cupcakes, but they’re cupcakes that I’m especially proud of – because they’re officially the first baking recipe that I created entirely myself! The buttercream icing I have made before, and it is an actual recipe that I got from somewhere. But I’ve been using it for cupcakes for so long that I no longer have the actual recipe, nor do I remember where I got it from.
And even though the cakes are all mine, I can’t actually take credit for putting them together – that would be the handiwork of my two girls, who helped me make them for their teachers at the end of the school year this past June. I was happy to see that not only did my first baking recipe produce moist and delicious cupcakes, but that it was also so easy, a 3-year-old can do it!
Whenever you need to make baked goods for your favourite teacher, for a bake sale, or just to satisfy your craving for chocolate, I highly recommend these!
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour 2/3 cups cocoa powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 cups white sugar 2 large eggs 1/2 cup half and half cream 1 cup water 1/4 cup canola oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, plus 1/2 teaspoon 1 cup chocolate chips 1 cup butter, at room temperature 5 cups icing sugar 1/2 cup whipping cream
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and line 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2.) Sift together: all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and white sugar.
3.) In another bowl mix together: eggs, half and half cream, milk, water, canola oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Then add chocolate chips and mix just to combine again.
4.) Spoon the mixture into the cupcake liners, filling liners about halfway. Then place in the preheated oven and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until centre feels springy to the touch.
5.) Meanwhile, beat one cup of butter in a large bowl until it’s light and fluffy. Add half the icing sugar, then beat to thoroughly incorporate. Then beat in half of the whipping cream, making sure it’s fully incorporated again. Add the rest of the icing sugar, beat to blend; and then add the rest of the whipping cream, and beat to blend. Lastly, beat in vanilla. Set frosting aside until ready to ice cupcakes.
6.) When cupcakes are finished, remove from oven and allow them to cool completely before piping icing onto them. When finished icing top with chocolate chip, sprinkles, or other candy.
Emeril has always been an inspiration to me, mostly because he shows how easy and how fun cooking can be! He does that once again with this recipe for Ricotta Cheese, from one of my most favourite cookbooks, From Emeril’s Kitchens. The book features signature dishes from his most famous restaurants, and this recipe for ricotta cheese really will make you feel like a chef.
While Emeril does a great job laying out simple ingredients and explaining how to turn them into silky, delicious ricotta cheese, he did leave out one very important thing: do not stir the cheese while it is cooking! I made that mistake when it first started cooking, and all it does is break up all those delicate curds you’re trying to create. Emeril also does mention that the mixture cannot simmer while it’s cooking, also very important, and why you need to keep it at such a low heat. I don’t have an instant-read thermometer but, you need the liquid to be just slightly above body temperature. I always stick my pinky in the mixture. It needs to be hot, but not so hot that I can’t keep my finger in there for several seconds. If I can’t, it needs to be turned down.
I also didn’t bother with the slotted spoon, finding that I lost too much of the curd that way. Instead, I lined a colander with cheese cloth like Emeril suggests, and strained the cheese over a bowl. Then I bundled the curds up in the cheesecloth and tied a knot at the top, leaving enough string to tie it off my fridge shelf to hang and drain. Half an hour later, there’s beautiful cheese inside; and you can even wring out the cheesecloth to get the very most out of it.
The cheese really is so, so easy to make. And even if you tell people that, they’ll still be impressed that you made your very own ricotta cheese!
Ingredients:
2 quarts whole milk
2 cups buttermilk 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Directions:
1.) Combine all the ingredients in a medium pot and bring to 112 degrees Fahrenheit (using an instant-read thermometer) over low heat. Cook, without simmering, until the liquid separates into solid curds and whey, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from heat.
2.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the solids to a fine-mesh strainer or a colander lined with cheesecloth placed over a bowl. Let drain in the refrigerator until the ricotta is thick and the excess liquid has drained away, about 30 minutes. Remove the cheese from the cheesecloth, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Being that my younger daughter’s birthday falls right around the same time as Thanksgiving, I usually have the honour of combining her birthday party with Thanksgiving dinner. I love preparing it, and I always try to find one or two new great recipes to pull out for the big day. This year, I wanted to try something a little different than the usual bread crumbs/onion/celery stuffing and with a little searching, I found this. Created by Emeril, recommended by Martha, you really can’t go wrong – and I didn’t.
I think the entire crowd loved this one, and my mom said that I’m not allowed to experiment with stuffing anymore. This one’s so good, if we’re going to have stuffing it’s gotta be this recipe! I’m still munching away on it days after and it’s still just as good. And, keep it in the oven a little longer too. It makes it extra crispy, another reason many people loved this dish!
Ingredients:
3 teaspoons, plus 5 tablespoons, unsalted butter 2 1/2 cups chicken stock 1 large egg 1 large egg yolk 1/2 cup bacon, sliced, about 4 slices 1 small onion, finely chopped 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped, about 4 stalks 1/2 pound button mushrooms, sliced 2 teaspoons garlic, minced 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped 1 loaf Italian bread, torn into small bite-size pieces 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2.) Butter a 9″ x 9″ square baking dish or a 10″ x 6″ oval baking dish with 2 teaspoons butter. Cut a piece of foil large enough to cover the dish and butter with 1 teaspoon butter. Set prepared dish and foil aside until ready to bake.
3.) In a small bowl, whisk together chicken broth, egg, egg yolk; set aside.
4.) Melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat in a medium skillet. Add bacon and cook for 1 minute. Add onion and celery and cook until softened, about 4 minutes more. Increase heat to high and add mushrooms, stirring to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes; stir in garlic. Remove skillet from heat and add parsley and sage. Transfer mushroom mixture to a medium bowl and add breadcrumbs, stirring carefully to combine; season with salt and cayenne pepper. Add chicken broth and egg mixture to stuffing, stirring until well combined. Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish.
5.) Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium heat until bubbling and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Drizzle brown butter over stuffing and cover with prepared foil. Set baking dish on a baking sheet and transfer to oven. Bake for 25 minutes, uncover, and continue baking for 15 more minutes. Remove from oven and allow stuffing to cool for 5 minutes.
I was watching The Chew today, a new show I’ve become obsessed with, and Mario Batali made Zeppole. With it being National Dessert Day (and because they looked so good on the TV,) I decided that I needed to make them for dessert after supper tonight. I quickly went to The Chew’s website and they only had it in video format (I prefer to read rather than listen) and Mario’s delicious dessert called for polenta – an ingredient I was short of. So I looked for another recipe and came across one by one of my favourite Italian chefs, Giada DeLaurentiis.
I did change just a few things about this recipe. I left out the vanilla bean (I don’t think I’ve ever owned fresh vanilla bean,) and just tossed the Italian doughnuts (the other name these sweet snacks go by) in the cinnamon and sugar when I was finished. I also took the espresso/chocolate sauce Mario made to accompany his on today’s show and switched it up with straight chocolate and cream. Better to give the kiddies just sugar, not sugar and caffeine.
Two of the greatest Italian chefs coming together (even if they don’t know it,) to make one fabulous Italian dessert? How could this possibly be a bad thing?
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar, plus 3 tablespoons 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 1/2 cup butter 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup water 1 cup all-purpose flour 4 eggs 2 cups chocolate chips 1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions:
1.) Combine the chocolate chips and the heavy cream in the bowl of a double boiler. Making sure there’s water in the bottom of the boiler, turn heat to high and melt chocolate and cream together, stirring regularly until a smooth, chocolate sauce forms.
2.) Meanwhile, add the 1/2 sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside. Heat up oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
3.) In a medium saucepan combine the butter, salt, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Take pan off heat and stir in 1 cup all-purpose flour. Return the pan to heat and continue to stir until mixture forms a ball, about 3 – 5 minutes.
4.) Transfer the flour mixture to a medium-sized bowl. Using an electric hand mixer on low speed, add eggs one at a time, being sure to fully incorporate each egg into the mixture before adding another. Beat until smooth. At this point, you can cover mixture with plastic wrap and save frying for later. Or, continue on with frying.
5.) Using one or two spoons, drop small balls of mixture into the hot oil. Fry for 3 minutes, then turn and continue frying other side for 2 – 3 minutes until balls are puffed up and golden brown.
6.) Remove from deep fryer and toss immediately in the sugar mixture. Place on paper towels to drain.
7.) When ready to serve, plate zeppole with chocolate sauce on a serving platter.
I often eat peanut butter cookies for breakfast, on the suggestion of my mother, actually. While it might not seem like a traditional breakfast, it gives me that little bit of protein that I need to get me through until lunch, and doesn’t make me feel stuffed, something that’s easily done in the morning when I don’t usually have much of an appetite. And besides, peanut butter cookies are delicious, so any excuse to eat them is a good one!
That being said, I do like to mix it up when I make them. This time, I made the traditional peanut butter cookie recipe that I usually use, and can be found on the side of most Kraft peanut butter jars. Just sprinkling a few roasted, salted peanuts on top transforms these cookies and gives them that extra kick of salty-sweetness. Just talking about them, I can’t wait to pick up my next bag of peanuts so I can make these again!
Ingredients:
1 cup smooth peanut butter 1/2 cup white sugar 1 egg 1 cup roasted, salted peanuts, chopped
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2.) Combine the peanut butter, the egg, and the sugar in a bowl and stir to thoroughly combine.
3.) Roll dough into 24 small balls and place on a greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Press down on each ball lightly with a fork. Sprinkle chopped peanuts over top of each cookie.
4.) Place in the preheated oven and bake until cookies are just starting to brown, 11 – 15 minutes.
5.) Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes on cookie tray before moving to a wire rack or plate to cool completely.
It’s National Chocolate Day, and I thought what better way to mark the day then with chocolate – on top of chocolate! That’s exactly what these brownies are all about, getting as much chocolate on your plate as possible! I like to make the ganache thin so you can drizzle it over the brownies after they’ve been plated. That way, as you work your way through the brownie, it acts as a sponge, sopping up that giant puddle of chocolate on your plate.
My hubby on the other hand, likes the ganache much thicker so that it works more like a frosting than it does a light (or heavy) syrup. I’ve had these brownies both ways and both are good. After all, you’re eating chocolate. What could be bad? Just remember that if you like the chocolate to be thicker, use less milk and/or more chocolate. Work the two together until you have a consistency that you like, and you’re done.
The ganache (at least when thin) can be frozen, I do it all the time. When you want to use it again, bring it up to room temperature first and then put it back in the double boiler. It will most likely be a bit (or a lot) thicker than when you originally froze it so it’s likely that you’ll need to add more cream and mix the two together again before it can be used. But it’s still a great way to have terrific ganache on hand for when you need it, and it only takes a few minutes to bring it back to life.
Happy Chocolate Day, everyone!
Ingredients:
For the brownies:
1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tablespoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
For the ganache: 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips 1 1/2 cups milk 1 tablespoon butter
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a square baking dish.
2.) For the brownies: In a medium bowl mix together oil, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in the eggs.
3.) In a separate bowl, whisk together: flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Little by little, stir flour mixture into the egg mixture making sure to stir and fully incorporate the flour after each addition.
4.) Stir in chocolate chips and pour into prepared pan, shaking to make sure mixture is level.
5.) Place in preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
6.) For the ganache: Meanwhile, place chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl. Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan until boiling, whisking the entire time to prevent burning.
7.) As soon as milk is boiling, pour over chocolate chips and stir until all chips are melted. Cover and place in fridge to cool and thicken or, set aside to cool slightly.
8.) When ready to plate, place brownie on a plate and drizzle chocolate ganache over top.
What can you say about this signature dish from the greatest cook I personally believe has ever walked the planet? I dare not critique this recipe; I will however, tell you a few things I did differently (only out of necessity, I swear, Julia) and where I got the recipe from – so you can see it in beloved Mrs. Child’s own words.
Julia’s original recipe calls for bacon rind as well as bacon lardons – and my bacon didn’t come with rind on it. Because of that, I just browned it the way I always do. I was also unaware that Julia’s bourguignon recipe called for pearl onions (for shame!) and was so disappointed that I didn’t have any on hand – they’re my favourite part of any stew and I can imagine they’d be just to die for in this recipe! Instead, I chopped green onions into long 3″ slices, the white parts only, and braised those the way Julia indicates in her recipe.
Everything else I tried to keep pretty much the same as she says and I can tell you, the meat truly does melt in your mouth. It’s so incredibly tender and flavourful it more than makes up for the fact that you’ve just spent the day cooking it. Julia also says in Mastering the Art of French Cooking that the onions and mushrooms can be made days ahead of time, and just added when needed. And of course, you can prepare most of it and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to just bring it to a simmer and serve to guests. And Julia actually says that this gives the flavours a chance to truly mingle and develop.
Make her signature dish, feel Julia cheering you on as you go, and know that as Julie Powell (played by actress Amy Adams) says, “Everything’s gonna be all right.”
To see how Julia Child wrote it out herself, you can find her Boeuf Bourguignon recipe here.
2 tablespoons butter 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, washed, well dried, left whole if small, cut in half if large
For the onions:
18 – 24 small pearl onions, peeled 1 1/2 tablespoons butter 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup of red wine 1/2 cup fresh parsley sprigs 1/2 bay leaf 1/4 teaspoon thyme Salt Pepper
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2.) Slice bacon into lardons (sticks, 1/4″ thick and 1 1/2″ long.) In a Dutch oven, cook bacon for 6 – 8 minutes, until browned and crisp. With a slotted spoon, remove bacon from the pot and drain on paper towel. Reheat the fat in the pan until it is near smoking before adding beef.
3.) While bacon is cooking, rinse stewing beef and thoroughly pat dry. Make sure the beef is entirely dry, as it will not brown otherwise. Add the beef to the hot fat in the skillet, in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan, and sear until all sides are nicely browned, turning regularly. Remove from pan as batches are complete and set aside with bacon.
4.) To the hot oil in the pot, add sliced carrot and onion. Saute, until all vegetables are browned, stirring regularly. Pour out the sauteing fat.
5.) Return the beef and bacon to the pot and toss with salt and pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to lightly coat the beef. Place Dutch oven onto the middle rack of the preheated oven and cook for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return it to the oven for 4 more minutes. (This browns the flour and gives the meat a nice crust.) Remove Dutch oven and turn oven down to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
6.) Stir in the wine and enough beef stock so that the meat is just barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, and herbs. Bring to a boil over high heat on top of the stove. Then cover the Dutch oven with aluminum foil or a lid and place in the lower portion of the preheated oven. Check on heat every so often, making sure that the liquid simmers very slowly for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. You will know the meat is done when it tears apart easily with a fork.
7.) While the beef is cooking, prepare the mushrooms and onions, starting with the onions: In a separate skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil and 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When sizzling, add onions and saute for about 1o minutes, rolling onions around so that they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins; you cannot expect to brown all onions uniformly.
8.) Into the onions pour the red wine, season to taste, and add the herbs. Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated.
9.) While the onions are braising, prepare the mushrooms: In a separate skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over high heat. Once the foam of the butter has begun to subside, add mushrooms. Toss and shake in the pan for 4 to 5 minutes. While they saute, the mushrooms will at first absorb the fat. In 2 to 3 minutes, the fat will reappear on the surface and the mushrooms will begin to brown. As soon as they have browned lightly, remove from heat.
10.) When they are finished, set both the onions and the mushrooms aside until you need them for the bourguignon.
11.) When the meat in the Dutch oven is tender, pour the contents into a sieve placed over a saucepan. Give the Dutch oven a rinse, dry quickly and return beef and bacon to it. Place the mushrooms and the onions over the meat.
12.) Skim fat off the sauce in the saucepan. Simmer sauce for a minute or two over medium-high heat, skimming off more fat as it rises. You should end up with about 2 1/2 cups of sauce that is thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, add a bit more stock. Taste carefully for seasoning; pour the sauce over the vegetables.
(Recipe may be completed in advance up to this point and kept in fridge for up to a day.)
13.) To serve: Cover the Dutch oven and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and the vegetables with the sauce several times.
14.) Serve (in the Dutch oven or a separate dish) and enjoy!
When I was trying to get some ideas on how to make the very best Cream of Asparagus Soup by searching online, it didn’t take me long to find out that there are about a zillion ways to make this dish (just like anything else, right?) Unfortunately, there weren’t any that I liked through and through. So, I gathered what I liked from each recipe and came up with this. It’s tasty, it’s cheap, and it’s really just got a few key ingredients so you don’t have to have a fully stocked pantry in order to make it. But is it kid-friendly?
It depends on your kids, I guess. Maddie, who loves vegetables (especially the GREEN ones!) didn’t care for asparagus in its pureed form. Paige on the other hand, who’s a carnivore like her dad, gobbled this soup up and absolutely loved it; so it’s hard to say. But, I loved it, and I’m super happy that I found something else delicious to do with asparagus!
Ingredients:
1 bunch asparagus, spears cut off and left intact, stalks chopped 1 tablespoon Kosher salt 6 tablespoons butter 1 medium onion, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 cup parsley, coarsely chopped 3 sprigs fresh thyme 1 bay leaf 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup white wine 8 cups vegetable stock Fresh black pepper
Directions:
1.) Add butter to a large pot over medium heat. Add butter and allow to melt. When hot add the onion, celery, carrot, and chopped asparagus (not the tips.) Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus and carrot is soft, about 12 minutes.
2.) Meanwhile, bring a large heavily salted pot of water to a boil. When boiling, add asparagus tips and blanch for 2 – 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3.) Add the flour to the pan and stir with a wooden spoon to fully incorporate. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the thyme, parsley, and bay leaf to the pan and stir again. Cook for about 1 minute.
4.) Pour in the white wine, stir, and bring to a boil. Allow wine to boil for about 2 minutes to allow the alcohol to burn off.
5.) Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
6.) Using an immersion blender (or transferring to a stand blender in batches,) puree the soup until smooth.
7.) Place a fine-mesh colander over a large pot or bowl. Pour the soup through the strainer and push through with a wooden spoon to get soup entirely smooth.
8.) Return the soup to the pot and reheat over medium heat. Whisk in the heavy cream, salt and pepper into the soup.
9.) Pour or ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with asparagus spears.
