SoupPalooza continues! Here on our healthy but oh-so-yummy! Monday’s on the At Home w/ GCH blog, we are promoting soup, soup, and soup! This is National Soup Month, and my husband, Robert, certainly enjoys his bowl of soup—he would eat soup every single day! (I know, you’ve heard this before…but it is true!)  So, I have committed to serving soup at one meal each day for all of National Soup Month.  So far, so good!

This week one of the soups I made was a hearty, earthy Mushroom Soup. Oh, if you could have smelled this house…between the onions, garlic, mushrooms, and thyme! This soup is thick and creamy…and I thought it would go really well with the recipe that Dana shared with us recently—Spinach Salad w/ Warm Bacon Dressing. She is SO right…soup and salad? Such a great combination!

Don’t forget to utilize the search button on our website to check out soups from SoupPalooza 2013 along with soups that Dana has shared with us, too! I would love to hear what varieties of soup you and your family enjoy! Leave a comment below, ok?

Now, I did use one *secret ingredient…want to know what it is?  Dried Mushrooms.  Incredible Ingredient…you really should get some for your pantry!  They can be purchased in the spice aisle, or the ethnic foods aisle of your grocery store.  They come in a small baggie.  And are really inexpensive, too!  I put mine into a grater like this one.  Super easy to use!  And the grated mushrooms add SUCH a depth of flavor!  Try adding a tablespoon or so to any number of dishes: quiche, stews, marinara sauce, soups, etc.   Try it; I think you will like it!

I used a combination of the fresh mushrooms…about 1 pound altogether. Whichever (shitake, button, baby bella) mushrooms you choose to use, be sure to cook them deeply before adding the flour, wine and stock. Along with the onions, they should get really brown and caramelized. This takes a little while, but this is also where the soup gets its deep savory flavor and richness.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup wild rice
1/2 teaspoon butter
1 cup broth
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup onions, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1# mushrooms, white, baby bella, shitake, cleaned and chopped
1/4 cup brown rice flour (you could use all-purpose flour)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup red wine
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, separated
6 cups broth or stock
8 ounces frozen carrots, defrosted
2 cups cooked wild rice
1/2 cup half and half (or milk)
1/2 cup sour cream

Instructions

• In a small saucepan, melt 1/2 teaspoon butter. Stir in wild rice to coat with butter, and heat for 1 minute.
• Pour in broth and water. Bring to a boil; cover and immediately reduce heat to very low; simmer for approximately 45 minutes or ‘til liquid is absorbed.
• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a medium-sized saucepan or soup pot over medium heat.
• Add onions, mushrooms, and celery and cook, stirring often, until softened (7-8 minutes).
• Allow the mushrooms and onions to get some color.
• Sprinkle flour over cooked veggies along with salt and pepper; cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. (This is where I added my ‘secret ingredient; *see above.)
• Stir in wine and thyme; increase heat to medium-high and reduce ‘til the liquid is almost absorbed.
• Add broth and carrots to pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 7-8 minutes.
• Scoop out the carrots and just a bit of the veggies, and set aside.
• Using an immersion blender, puree the soup and the veggies ‘til smooth;
• Add back in the carrots, along with the half and half and additional thyme.
• Heat over low ‘til piping hot! When ready to serve, place a small portion of wild rice in the bottom of the bowl or mug, add soup and top with a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!

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God loves you!  ♥   (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥   Coleen