Mushroom Chowder

Yesterday, my long time gal-pal from State College, PA days, Cathy, sent me a picture of a recipe she made from my book "Singingirl Cooks!"  She told me she was going to be entering it in a contest at her church.  I'll be anxious to know how far up or down the list of entries it placed!  In the meantime, she said it was delicious, and it is.  With fall kind of around the corner for you up-north friends and family, this chowder has terrific flavor and tastes like you were laboring over it all day, even though it comes together in no time. Try it and tell me how you liked it!  Thanks, Cathy, for choosing something from the book for a contest and for sending me this picture to use today.

MUSHROOM CHOWDER

1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 cup diced potatoes (2 large) 

1 cup finely chopped celery (2 large stalks)

1 cup diced carrots (2 or 3)

1 clove of garlic, chopped fine

1 tsp. dried thyme

Freshly ground pepper

4 Tbs. melted butter

1 big handful of fresh parsley, chopped

1 pkg. of dry onion soup mix (such as Lipton)

1/4 cup cooking sherry

1/4 cup of flour stirred into 1/2 cup of water

2 cans of chicken broth (or you can use stock)

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup half & half

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large soup pot, saute the mushrooms, potatoes, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme and pepper in butter until soft over medium heat, ten minutes or so.  Add the onion soup mix and parsley, stir to combine, then pour in the chicken broth and sherry. Stir, then cover and simmer on low for another 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the flour into the water until smooth and add to the pot.  Add the milk and half  & half to the soup over very low heat, along with the Parmesan cheese and continue heating on low, do not boil, until nicely warmed and looking absolutely gorgeous. Serve immediately.   Reheat any leftovers over low heat.

Note~ I don't add salt to this recipe because there is quite a bit in the dry onion soup mix. Add extra to taste after you've put the whole thing together.

P.S. This recipe and more than a hundred pages of other great recipes, stories and beautiful food pictures can be found in my book "Singingirl Cooks!" If you don't own a copy and would like to, please let me know. Thanks!