Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup

Tonight, Wesley and I are hopping on an airplane to Sacramento to join a majority of my high school girlfriends and their significant others for a weekend of fun, friends and RAIN.

That’s right, rain is finally in the forecast for California. And while I’m sure Sofie would prefer that it didn’t rain on her birthday, I am stoked for those little tear drops from heaven. All weekend long.

I’m really excited for the trip, but just like any new adventure, this trip has a potential for disaster.

Wes and I have never flown anywhere together.

If I have learned anything in my twenty-five years on this earth, it’s that flying does weird things to people.

It makes really mellow people act like lunatics and it makes high stung people act absolutely bat sh*t crazy.

That’s really crazy.

Personally, I am a very mellow traveler. I know lots of people say that, but I am a VERY mellow traveler.

So mellow that I have missed my flight on multiple occasions.

Like the time I thought my flight back from North Carolina was Wednesday but it was really Tuesday.

Or the time I tried to check in for my flight from Phoenix to Los Angeles only to realize my flight was boarding at that moment.

How about the time in Chicago when the train I got on at the last possible second broke down and I missed my flight home                 

Not sure if those examples make me mellow or just stupid.

AAAAAAAAnnnnnyyywaaaayyyyyyyyyy……

My point is, this could be an interesting experience. And by interesting I mean possibly volatile.

Only time will tell.

In the mean time, I’m leaving you with a recipe to keep you warm on this cold and awesomely rainy weekend.

You will need…

5 ounces fresh shitake mushrooms

5 ounces fresh Portobello mushrooms

5 ounces fresh cremini or porcini mushrooms

6 cups of chicken stock

1 tablespoons olive oil

¼ pound (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 sprig fresh thyme plus 1 teaspoon minced thyme

2 leeks, white and light green parts chopped

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup dry white wine

1 ½ cup heavy cream

½ cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Start by pulling the stems off all of the mushrooms and roughly chop them.

To create the mushroom stock, heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium pot pan over medium heat.

Add the onion, carrot, mushroom stems, sprig of thyme and 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook the mixture for about 12 minutes, just until the vegetables are soft.

When the veggies are soft, add the chicken stalk to the pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, strain out the vegetables and reserve the liquid.

While the stock is simmering, heat the remaining butter in a large pot over medium heat. While the butter is melting, add in the leeks.

Cook the leeks covered for 15 to 20 minutes, just long enough for them to begin to brown.

Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes, or until they are browned and tender.

 Add the flour and cook for 1 minute.

Add the white wine and stir for another minute, scrapping the bottom of the pot.

When the wine has reduced slightly, add in the mushroom stock you made. Add in the minced thyme leaves and 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper and bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add in the cream and parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Combine the mixture well, make sure it is nice and hot throughout and serve.

And cuddle up to someone you love.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela