Obama Kitchen

by Sharon Franke

Cuisinart Immersion BlenderSome bloggers have been waiting anxiously for news about Obama's policy decisions, others for details about Mrs. O's wardrobe. Well this blogger has been lusting after info on the first family's food and cooking preferences. So it was a thrill for me to read about a White House kitchen preview that was given to culinary students and reporters by Michelle Obama. In the Chicago Sun-Time, Lynn Sweet reported that, "Mrs. Obama is fond of a White House soup that 'tastes creamy without being creamy'". This was my idea of juicy gossip! It's something I've been making for as long as I've been cooking and it's not only healthy, it's super easy! You can cook four cups of just about any vegetable--butternut squash, broccoli (favored by Michelle, but not Sasha), even a medley--along with a small potato, an onion, salt, pepper, and two cups of water until they're very tender, then puree them until they transform into a  smooth and creamy-textured soup. While you can use your blender, you can make the whole process even speedier by whizzing the veggies right in the cooking pot with a handheld immersion blender. The Cuisinart SmartStick Hand Blender is just $34.99 at