Rosie's BASE RECIPE FOR CREAM SOUP

You can use this recipe to make cream soup from most vegetables.  Consider this for asparagus, broccoli,  fresh pea soup, carrot soup, celery soup, and more.  Since tastes and veggies vary, be ready to tinker with amounts until you have it just right.  You can make hot or cold soup with this recipe.

1 sweet onion, diced (can also use granulated or powdered onion if you prefer)
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups vegetables of choice, diced
salt to taste
2/3 cup cream

1. Sauté the onion dices in the butter until they are tender and translucent but not browned.
2. Add the flour and stir and cook until a soft paste has formed but not browned.
3. While still cooking, pour in 1/2 cup of the broth while stirring with a whisk.  Gradually add the rest of the broth, stirring to make the mixture smooth and not lumpy as if you were making gravy.  Continue cooking until the mixture is bubbly and has thickened.
4. Add the vegetables and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are soft enough to mash easily.
5. Pour two to three cups of the liquid into your blender.  Puree the mixture until it is smooth.  Continue in batches until the entire soup is puréed.
6. Pour the soup through a strainer into a clean pan.  Press any pieces through the sieve with the back of a spoon.
7. Salt the soup to taste.  Add the cream.  If the soup needs further thinning, add water.  Reheat and serve.