Cream of Mushroom Soup

Good Afternoon All,

I've been feeling sick for a day or so and that caused me to miss a day of blogging. I'm still under the weather today and actually took a day off of work today to get some extra rest. I have been enjoying my cream of mushroom soup I made the other night and thought you might like to have this if there are others dealing with their first cold of the season. Tomorrow I will put up a grocery list for next week so you can do your shopping and the first recipe of the week, that is Sunday night's receipe. I'm trying to give you this information a day early, but feel free to move things around so they are most convenient for you.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

2 small packages dried wild mushrooms (Trader Joe's carries these)
2 32 oz boxes chicken (or veggie) broth
1 sprig fresh thyme and 2 tblsp thyme leaves
3 tblsp olive oil  and 1 tblsp butter
1 medium brown onion chopped
2 carrots diced
2 leeks chopped (white part and a little of the green part)
2 cloves garlic minced
24 ozs FRESH mushrooms sliced (whatever you like here is fine, kids will like the milder button or cremini mushrooms but you can also use portobellos or shiitake which have a somewhat stronger flavor)
4 tblsp flour
3/4 dry sherry
1 cup 1/2 and 1/2
Salt and Pepper to taste

Take the broth, sprig of thyme, and dried mushrooms and simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes. While that is simmering, in a large pot add the olive oil and butter, let melt, and add the onion, carrots, leeks, garlic, and mushrooms. Saute these ingredients until they begin to get soft, but not mushy. Once they become a little soft add the flour over the top and stir into the mixture gently. Remove your other pot of broth from the heat and slowly ladle some of the broth mixture into the mushroom mixture. Keep your mushroom mixture on a low heat setting and keep adding a cup or so of broth at a time to the mushroom mixture, stirring it in to the mushroom mixture and then when it is completely incorporated add another cup of broth. Repeat this until all the broth has been added to the mushroom mixture. This is your soup!

Add the sherry to the soup and stir. Turn the heat up to medium, but DO NOT allow the soup to boil. Cook for another 15 minutes allowing the flavors to develop. Season with salt and pepper and 2 tblsps of thyme leaves. Then slowly add the 1/2 and 1/2. Heat for an additional few minutes so that the soup is hot. Serve immediately with a salad and a good crusty bread. Enjoy your soup, your family, and remember to take good care of yourself!

Lelia