The appliance I didn't know I needed

Honestly, truly, really.
I don't know how I lived without an immersion blender for so long.



I actually used to batch blend this soup in my Kitchen Aid!

And believe, me, these days I make more than 4 servings at a time. I just made a batch for our lunch (6 quarts) and wow was it easy!!
I don't think I can ever go back.

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 large leek, white and light green part only, washed and chopped
1 medium baking potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 pound asparagus, ends snapped off, tips cut off and reserved, stalks cut into 1-inch pieces
3 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon olive oil
8 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
PREPARATION

1.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the leek and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, asparagus stalks, chicken broth and lemon rind. Raise heat and simmer until potatoes and asparagus are tender, about 15 minutes.
2.
Place soup in a blender and puree until smooth. Stir in salt and pepper. Keep warm. Heat the olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet. Add the mushrooms and the asparagus tips. Saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Ladle the soup among 4 bowls. Garnish with asparagus tips and mushrooms. Serve immediately.
YIELD Four servings
http://events.nytimes.com/recipes/5984/1995/04/23/Asparagus-Potato-And-Leek-Soup/recipe.html