Mystical Mundane

Okay, so I probably should've posted this up last week, as it would have been more beneficial, what with Valentines Day and such, but I guess better late then never! These are little romantic food ideas :) They don't take too much time to make, and they are all rather tasty. :) Chilled Steamed Asparagus with Chervil Dressing This simple, very quick, and easy to make recipe, is tasty and elegant. :) Ingredients: Juice of 2 lemons 2 Tablespoons chopped chervil 1 large egg yolk 2/3 cup olive oil 2 pounds tender young asparagus Directions: Whisk together the lemon juice, chervil, and egg yolk in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Cover and chill. Whisk for a minute or so just before serving. Trim the asparagus of any fibrous ends and steam it in a vegetable-steamer over simmering water until it is crisp-tender and turns a bright emerald green, no more than 5 minutes. Remove to a colander and place under cold running water unti...

Beef Barley Soup Any type of beef will do for this recipe (leftover roast beef, browned ground beef, sliced chuck steak, etc.) Beef Barley Soup is one of those soups that improves in flavor the next day. This is because the flavors have  more time to mix with one another, and infuse themselves into all the ingredients. If you decide to do this don't freeze it right away, because the ingredients won't mix. Feel free to freeze it after a day or two, if there's anything left over. (: Ingredients A splash of olive oil A pat of butter (optional) 1 large carrot , chopped 1 large celery stalk, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped Salt and pepper to taste 2 to 3 cups of chopped, cooked beef, or similar amount of cooked ground beef A splash of Worcestershire sauce (optional) Basil, oregano, garlic powder to taste 8 cups beef stock or broth 1 large can of diced tomatoes, including liquid 3/4 to 1 cup dried pearl barley (more barley will make the broth thicker). Preparation 1. Heat the oli...