12. Cream of Mushroom Soup

I haven't had home made cream of mushroom soup in years. It doesn't even begin to compare to the canned version. This recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens Soups and Stews Cookbook.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 ½ cups chicken stock
½ cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon salt
Few dashes white pepper
1 cup milk

In a saucepan, combine chicken broth, chopped onion, mushrooms, and nutmeg. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Place half the vegetable mixture into a blender container or food processor. Cover and blend 30 to 60 seconds or until smooth. Repeat with remaining vegetable mixture, Set aside.

In the same saucepan melt the butter. Blend in flour, salt, and pepper. Add the milk all at once. Cook and stir until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Stir in the blended vegetable mixture. Cook and stir till soup is heated though. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serves 3 or 4.


Shortcuts and changes: I tripled the recipe as it just didn't seem that the quantity listed would feed 4 people. I had enough for 4 with one small bowl left over.


Results: Very good and flavorful although I would definitely add more mushrooms the next time.


Keeper? YES!!

13. Peggy’s Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup

This is from Not Your Mother's Weeknight Cooking. This is another recipe that looked simple and tasty--a good soup for a good fall night.

Peggy’s Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
4 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth, or more as needed
1 to 2 canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, coarsely chopped
½ to 1 cup crème fraiche
Juice of 2 fresh limes
Salt
Coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and enough broth to cover. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, partially cover, and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 30 minutes. Stir in the chipotle chilies and adobo sauce.

2. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. (Alternatively, let the soup cool for 10 minutes. Then, working in several batches, puree in a blender or food processor; return the mixture to the soup pot.) Cooking over medium –low heat, gently whisk in the crème fraiche and lime juice until well blended and hot. Season to taste with salt and more lime juice, if needed. Top each serving with a small spoonful of crème fraiche and a sprinkling of cilantro. Serve at once.



Shortcuts and Changes: I forgot to buy fresh limes, so I used about 2 tablespoons of bottled juice--basically to taste. I also don't care for cilantro, and honestly forgot to buy it, so I used some dried cilantro and just mixed it in at the end when I put in the chipotle and adobo. By the way, you will never use a whole can of chipotle with adobo sauce at one time. For the longest time I was throwing away what I didn't use as it went bad in the refrigerator before I could use it up. Now I put it in a plastic baggie, flatten it out, and freeze it. When I need some, I just chop of a piece of the frozen stuff. It works great!


Results: Nice, thick soup with a lot of flavor!


Keeper? Yes!