CARROT SOUP

1. Dice the carrots and potatoes. (I use a food processor and presto! Diced rabbit food!) Simmer in the water or stock until tender. (Don't dump out the water.)
2. Dice the onions, mince the garlic, chop the cashews, and grate the ginger. (I just love giving orders.) Sauté in a frying pan with the butter, salt, black pepper, and a little cayenne until the onions are translucent.
3. When the carrots and potatoes have cooled down a little, stir in the onion mixture. Put everything in a blender and puree. (You will have to do this in smaller batches unless you happen to have an industrial size blender. If there isn't enough liquid to blend everything properly, you can add in a little of the milk.)
4. Transfer the blended soup back to the pot. Whisk in the milk, sour cream, and a dash of sherry. Reheat just enough to eat; don't bring back to a boil.
5. Molly Katzen says things like, "Taste the soup. Does this soup taste good to you?" If it seems too bland, salt, pepper and cayenne will work wonders. Sometimes I have gone back into the trenches and to grate and Sauté more ginger, but you may or may not be that dedicated to your taste buds.
6. If Martha Stewart or your in-laws are coming to dinner, top the soup with more sour cream, apples, green onion, cashews, or any combination of these.