Cream of Mushroom Soup

Cream of Mushroom Soup
Serve with crusty French Bread.

Serves: 8

• 1 small sweet onion, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 3 teaspoons olive oil (divided)
• 1 to 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms
• 1 large Portobello mushroom
• 1/4 pound button mushrooms
• 2 small potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 3 - 4 cups fat-free chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup fat-free half and half
• Salt, to taste
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon sherry or cooking wine
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (or more to taste)

Place 2 teaspoons oil in large stock pot and sauté garlic, onions and celery for 6 to 8 minutes. Slice mushrooms Add mushrooms, reserving one cup (until the end). Add potatoes to pot and continue to sauté for an additional 5 minutes.

Add the stock and bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat and simmer on medium-high heat until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from heat and add thyme. Puree in blender, return to pot.

Add sherry, half and half, salt, pepper and worcestershire sauce, warm through.
Meanwhile, saute the reserved mushrooms in one teaspoon oil, and season them with salt and pepper. Add to the pot. Serve warm.

COOKS NOTE: I have used various combinations of different mushrooms with great success. Don't hesitate to experiment.

Per Serving: 151 Calories; 2g Fat (10.7% calories from fat); trace Saturated Fat; 9g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; trace Cholesterol; 211mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.