"Every house where love abides
And friendship is a guest,
Is surely home, and home sweet home
For there the heart can rest."
~ Henry Van Dyke

Friday, February 26, 2010

Wet spring weather - warm soup!

Spring has come to Holland. We are greeted each morning with birdsong and the bulb flowers are starting to poke up through the cold earth to say hello. We put our garden pots that were planted up with bulbs last autumn back out in the garden. They were so ready to come out into some sunlight but it has been far too cold up to this week.


Now I say sunlight but this week has been rather gray and dreary. It is our normal Dutch winter weather and normally we would already be seeing many bulbs in bloom by now but it has been colder this winter. In December, I received a potted helleborus from a dear friend. It was struggling having to go in and out of the dark shed since it was so cold. We really thought it was dead as it was looking very sorry for itself but, suddenly, it decided that spring was a good reason to perk back up and start blooming again. Now it has a place of pride by my front door.

Now I am not turning this into a food blog but enjoy sharing recipes with you. I think that cooking is a big part of homekeeping. I love creating a nourishing meal from totally fresh ingredients. The chill in the air makes us long for a bowl of hot soup so here is my recipe for fresh mushroom soup. Once you have made this simple recipe, you will never want to open a can of mushroom soup in your life.

You will need:
250 gr fresh mushrooms
4 spring onions (you can also use a medium regular onion for this)
butter and olive oil
2 tablespoons flour
750 ml vegetable bouillon
salt and pepper
low fat half and half (koffiemelk)
fresh parsley
warm oven baked bread

Chop the mushrooms...

Chop the spring onions and cook them in a combination of butter and olive oil...

Add the mushroom to the pan and cook...

When your mushrooms are cooked, mix in the flour until it coats the mushroom and onions then pour 750 ml (3 cups) vegetable bouillon a little at a time stirring well. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer this for about 15 minutes and then add about 3/4 cup low fat half and half (koffiemelk). You can use low fat milk but we find it does not give the soup a nice creamy taste.

Serve the hot soup with fresh parsley and warm oven baked bread. I served warm Italian black olive ciabatta this time.

Edit: This soup is for two people. We never have any leftover after dinner so if you have a large family or want leftovers, do make more. I try to make our dinners exactly right for the two of us so we are eating fresh each night.

"As the days grow short, some faces grow long. But not mine. Every autumn, when the wind turns cold and darkness comes early, I am suddenly happy. It's time to start making soup again."
~ Leslie Newman

17 comments:

Nancy said...

Looks yummy and warm on these cold days. Hopefully tomorrow, I will be in warmer weather in Florida.
I like your shamrocks on the header. So cute.
There are no spring flowers coming up here. They are all hiding to keep warm and I would say that is smart.
Happy stitching.
Love you, Mom

onlymehere said...

I do love mushrooms but my family, not so much. I've never just eaten mushroom soup but I cook with it in recipes. This does look so very yummy though!

Rosie said...

Your mushroom soup looks so tasty - thanks for the recipe, I'm definitely going to try it soon:)

Elizabethd said...

Heidi, your Hellebore looks very healthy! they are amazing the way they revive when the snow has gone.

Cynimin said...

Thank you for the receicpe, It will be rainy here later so I'll make it tonight!

Carolien said...

Mmmm, sounds good, that soup, I'll try!

Have a great weekend & hugs,
Carolien

Anonymous said...

Deze soep ga ik zeker maken,wij zijn gek op soep en ieder nieuw recept is welkom,bedankt en tot Zondag.
Joke.

Celestial Charms said...

This soup looks delicious, and I appreciate the step by step instructions. That always helps to convince me that I can make the recipe too. Thank you for sharing.
Have a lovely weekend.
Maureen

Brigitta said...

Hallo Heidi, well, this is another one I'm gonna try, loved the tomato soup, so I have high hopes ;-)

hugs
Brigitta

Anonymous said...

De soep ziet er heelijk uit, ga ik binnenkort ook maar eens proberen.
Ik vind ook de klavers bovenin erg mooi. Zelf gemaakt? Grapje..........
Fijn weekend
Elly

Reginas Cottage said...

hi heidi,
oh this soup looks very delicious.
i like mushrooms and i make sometimes
a soup.since yesterday blooms my crocus in the garden.but today is it
very stormy weather.
i wish you a wonderful week,
hugs regina

Sonja said...

Never knew that making mushroomsoup could be so easy! But this seems to be a recepi I could make myself. Thanks!

Tone said...

Hi Heidi!!
So its this time of year - when spring arrives in your part of Europe - and more forzen winter arrives here in the northern parts...
I would SO much like to have spring now! .- so - have to read your blogs, - and just look at the pictures and admit I am jelaous... :-)
BUT I planted some seeds 14 days ago - and they are tiny tiny green plants!! jiha! spring arrives indoors....
Some days in Spain did well, orange trees and almond-trees in pink in the valleys....
I enjoy life as a housewife, but need time to "calm down" from seven years of stress, just dont know how to do it yet... So I try to take walks in the forest with Birk - and drinking tee, cleaning the house...stuff like that....
Enjoy spring!!
Tone

*Ulrike* said...

We do so love mushroom soup so I think I'll give that one a try. I also noticed the chicken casserole, and that sounds good so I think I need to make a trip to the store!

Tracy said...

Such a lovely soup, Heidi... mmm... I love anything with mushrooms! Thank you for another great recipe. I started a foodie blog in January--it's fun to share recipes. This glimpse of spring is wonderful to see! We are still very much covered in snow, and will be for some weeks yet... Spring can make her grand entrance any moment now! Happy Days, my friend ((HUGS))

Rhondi said...

Hi Heidi
Spring is very slow in coming here to. The first daffodils just started to bloom yesterday, about a month later than normal. Right now we are having a little snow falling. This weather has been crazy!

DonnaTN said...

Late in commenting here too! I cannot eat canned cream of mushroom soup by itself. Used in casseroles and other dishes is fine, but not just as soup. Your lovely fresh mushroom soup sounds worth trying!