Quick and Simple Cream of Mushroom Soup

Well, pretty much like everyone else, we have been stuck in our house for the last couple of weeks. Our only trips out have been to go to the grocery store. We have had some beautiful days weather wise and I at least get out to walk the dog on those days. On the rainy or cold days I fall back to cooking. A couple of days ago it was cold and rainy and so I was looking in the refrigerator to see what we had that needed to be used. We had a large container of Cremini (baby bella) mushrooms so I decided that it was a good day for soup.  I have previously posted a recipe for cream of mushroom soup, but this one is simpler,quicker and requires less ingredients. It is quite thick and creamy and tastes great so give it a try with some good crusty bread. 

Ingredients:

1.5 Lbs baby bella mushrooms
2 Leeks, white part only, finely chopped
6 TBSP butter
4 TBSP flour
3/4 tsps salt
1.5 Cups Heavy Cream
1.5 (14.5 OZ) cans chicken broth
1.5 TBSP Dry Sherry
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

Slice enough mushrooms to make about a cup and a half. Finely chop the rest of the mushrooms. Melt butter in a 4 Qt. sauce pan or heavy bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Saute the chopped leeks until tender and translucent. Add the chopped and sliced mushrooms to the pot and cook until the mushrooms are tender and have given up most of their liquid (about ten minutes). Sprinkle the flour and salt over the mushrooms and stir continuously until thickened and flour is absorbed into the mixture. Gradually stir in heavy cream and broth. Heat until hot. Stir in Sherry and season to taste with the pepper. Top with a little chopped parsley and serve. Alternatively, top each serving with a dollop of creme fraiche or sour cream and a little dusting of paprika. Enjoy, but be careful. This is not a low calorie soup.

Shrimp and Steak Kabobs

Steak and Shrimp Kabobs

We had some beautiful weather here in KC over the weekend and it put me in the mood for grilling. Here are a couple of easy recipes that I made for dinner Friday night and served over a bed of Vigo Yellow Rice, which is available in any grocery store. Making both recipes at the same time will easily feed four people and served with the rice makes for a pretty healthy and flavorful meal.

Shrimp Kabobs

Ingredients:

1 Cup Italian Dressing, divided (I like Ken's)
1 Pound Uncooked Shrimp(21-25 Count)-peeled and deveined
1 Onion. cut into wedges
8 Large Baby Bella Mushroom Caps
5-6 Assorted Mini Peppers, halved and seeded
8 Cherry Tomatoes

Preparation:

Combine shrimp and half of the salad dressing in a gallon Ziplock bag. In another Ziplock, combine the vegetables and the remaining half of the salad dressing. Refrigerate for 2 hours, turning occasionally. Soak bamboo skewers in water. 

Drain and discard marinade. Alternately thread shrimp and vegetables onto soaked bamboo skewers. I like to use two parallel skewers for shrimp to keep them from spinning when you turn them on the grill. Grill over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes per side until shrimp turn pink. Do not overcook. 

Steak Kabobs

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Lower Salt Soy Sauce
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper
1 Pound Filet Mignon-cut into 1" squares(substitute sirloin if                desired)
5-6 Assorted Mini Peppers- halved and seeded
1 Red Onion-cut into wedges
8 Large mushroom caps

Preparation:

In a medium bowl, combine olive oil, soy sauce, garlic and peppers. Stir well and pour into a Ziplock Bag. Add the steak to the bag, toss and seal. Refrigerate for up to two hours, turning occasionally. Soak bamboo skewers. 

Once the meat has marinated, thread it onto the skewers, alternating it with peppers, mushrooms and onion wedges. Grill over medium heat, turning frequently, until all sides of the meat are nicely browned and the vegetables are tender. (about 10 to 12 minutes)