I would preserve the asparagus separately, and then just chop it and add it to soup as you like over the course of the year. Canning soups with dairy in them is quite dangerous, and my canning books (the Ball Blue Book, others) list it as a definite no-no. You could, however, make a large batch and freeze 2-4 servings in ziploc freezer bags. Lay the bags out on a tray to freeze, and then once they're frozen and flat you can stand them up like magazines on a shelf. This post was edited by galiana on Wed, May 22, 13 at 9:16

"Posted by sherrmann Deep fried? But they're so WHITE! Did you make them yourself? (Silly question) How? Very clever to color the soup with zucchini skins. What is sprinkled on top?" I will tell you the secrets, just don't tell anyone else in this Forum. :-) To make the rice balls, I use a thing that you make tea with tea leaves. It is a circular strainer in two halves. When frying rice noodles, it is very easy to judge frying oil temperature. You just drop a tiny piece of rice noodle in the oil as a test. The oil will not be too hot to burn the noodles. I sprinkled home-made tomato powder on the soup. dcarch

Found it. It is called 'fearless cooking for one', by Michele Evans. Published in 1980. It was bit over my head when i bought it, but thumbing through, i did get many recipes that i've made over and over since that time. One chapter is 'glorious black bean days'. A single bag of beans, and 4 simple recipes...mostly frozen after cooking, to use whenever as to not get bored with it. The intro has storage and cooking tips, shopping tips, 4 ingredients that should always be fresh...onions, garlic, parsley, whole peppercorns... Like many cookbooks, 1/2 the recipes are way complicated for even a seasoned home chef. (like 2 dozen lily flowers). ....but can make most of the soups without the full ingredient list....like wood ears. I made a basic soup last night using my freezer storage of ingredients. I just pick and choose what sounds good. (made a beef stew last weekend so i did not use potatoes or carrots.) Sauteed a chopped onion with lots of garlic, celery, a leek that needed to be used up. Once soft, i added a pint of stock. Bring to simmer, then added a pint of salsa. Simmer, then added black beans/mixed grains....(rice, lentils, etc) -all homemake fresh/frozen Could have added corn, peas, chard, etc from the fall harvest that i've frozen, but DH wanted lamb sausage. It was good as a veggie 'chowder' before the lamb.... -today i'll add fresh/frozen corn, peas and chard, a cup of water, for lunch, with some toasted bread slices. Leftovers but a bit different. Stir in a tbsp of greek yogurt to the table,. Top with chopped cilantro. I don't salt anything....my stocks, salsas, beans. I just use some spices and lots of lemon or lime. Many veg have their own natural salts like celery. A splash of AC vinegar will give a tart punch. It isn't clear if you are up to making your own stocks. I make one about once a month. And make a bag of beans at the same time,(white, black or garbanzo in rotation) and a sprouted grain mix. Freeze the abundance in small portions and often some greens as well. Just fill the containers and pour over cooled stock to fill the container voids. If making a chicken stock with roasted bone-in parts, i can freeze the meat in portions to add later to a chicken noodle soup. This is always done on a Sunday...while i do other things around the home, laundry etc, prepping for the next work week. I have an extra bunch of cilantro and limes that i'll chop and freeze in 1/4 pints today, with squeezed limes. Pour over a cup of hot water to blanch in a pyrex bowl, then freeze. Just another fresh flavor to add to chowders. (DH overshopped and bought more parsley and cilantro when we already had some)...more than I'll use this week. If not up to making your own, look for NOsodium stock. Low is ok. My parents are in a small town but noticed FoodLion has a well stocked organic/specialty food section. Good stocks and beans and flavorful salsas. I would still start your soup with fresh onion, garlic and celery/carrot...finish with fresh parsley stems chopped fine, top with leaves at the table. The few fresh ingredients with make the difference.

Our menu was supposed to be steak, creamed spinach, grilled asparagus, and roasted turnip roots. DH had a terrible headache all day and didn't feel like grilling the steak. Instead, I went to our neighborhood Italian restaurant and picked up chicken sorrentino, garlic knots and a salad. We opened a great bottle of Sonoma Zinfandel. For dessert, we had some of the chocolate covered strawberries that DH sent me for Valentine's Day. DH is feeling much better this morning, so we're planning to have the steak meal tonight.