High Maintenance Mom

Heat butter in soup pot on medium heat. Add onion - cook 10 min. Add potatoes, root vegetables, stock, salt, and pepper - simmer slowly for 30-40 minutes until veggies are overcooked and falling apart. Puree using a food mill, processor, or wand. Let cool. Before serving, reheat until bubbling. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

Blue cheese butter - allow cheese and butter to come to room temperature and then mix thoroughly by hand or with a food processor.

Add blue cheese butter to individual bowls (if you want).

Husband's advisor's wife's friend...

4-5

30

I had this soup at my husband's advisor's house the year I spent Thanksgiving at Brown finishing my PhD while the Pocket Physicist drove six hours to visit my cousins. I love how the soup always tastes a little different and how it reminds me of a happy time in my life. Tonight I made it with olive oil, one potato, two parsnips, a turnip, and celery root (no blue cheese). It was really good and both kids liked it (they didn't have big bowls but it was still exciting).

4 T unsalted butter (or margarine or olive oil)

1 large thinly sliced onion (2 c.)

1/2 lb. thinly sliced Maine or other boiling potato

1 1/2 lb. mixed root vegetables (parsnips, turnips, rutabagas, Jerusalem artichokes, celery root, salsify)

4 c. chicken stock

Juice from 1/2 lemon

3 ounces blue cheese (if you are adding the blue cheese butter)

6 T butter