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Cold nights and a cool wind from the north, makes for chilly days, even if the sun comes out. Soup season is still with us.

This freezes well and is a much more flavorful addition to recipes than commercially canned versions.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

4 Tbsp butter

2 cups diced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 to 2 pounds fresh, white or brown mushrooms, sliced

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 cup dry white wine

6 Tbsp all-purpose flour or cornstarch

4 cups beef or chicken broth

1 - 2 tsp salt, according to taste

1/2 - 1 tsp ground black pepper

2 tsp beef or chicken Better Than Bouillon or 2 bouillon cubes

1 cup cream or half

and half

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional

In a large skillet or heavy soup kettle, heat butter over medium-high heat until melted. Add onion and sauté 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add mushrooms and thyme and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add wine and allow to cook for 3 minutes. (note if you prefer, substitute water)

Sprinkle mixture in pan with flour, stirring well and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Season mixture with salt, pepper and bouillon.

Cover loosely and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes until thickened.

Reduce heat to low and stir in cream. Allow to simmer gently, about 1 minute to heat through. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired. Yield 4-5 generous servings.

Note: Freeze in zip closure bags laid flat, for quick thawing when needed.

Methods of cleaning mushrooms bring much debated among culinary experts. Un washed, and brushed free of visible dirt is often touted as the preferred method to preserve texture, especially raw. That said, mushrooms I eat must be washed.

Vinegar wash solution is what I use on all fruits and most vegetables. This solution loosens dirt and retards bacteria growth. Mushrooms start to break down immediately when washed, so do this right before using.

Vinegar

Fruit and Vegetable Wash

4 quarts cold water

1/4 cup white vinegar

Combine in large bowl or dish pan. Add items to be washed and let soak 10 minutes. Use a soft brush to remove visible dirt. Do not rinse. Drain thoroughly. For mushrooms, pat dry with paper towels and use immediately.

Many requests came in for the Turkey Tortellini Soup I brought to a recent soup supper. Roast a turkey carcuss makes a great soup stock. Either freeze to make stock later or simmer right away and make soup, or freeze the stock for later use.

Turkey Tortellini Soup takes 4 quarts of stock and 3 cups or more, of meat picked from the bones.

To make stock, place carcuss in a large kettle or slow-cooker along with one or two bay leaves and simmer until bones fall apart, 2-3 hours stovetop or 8 hours in a slow-cooker. Cool slightly and separate meat and broth. Discard bones.

Turkey Tortellini Soup

4 quarts turkey stock

3 or more cups diced turkey meat

2 large onions, chopped

2 stalk celery, chopped

1/2 tsp poultry seasoning

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 package (1-2 pounds) frozen cheese tortellini

Salt to taste

Place stock, meat, onion and celery in large slow-cooker crock. Season with poultry seasoning and black pepper. Cook on high for about 6 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, season with salt to taste and add tortellini. Cook 30 minutes or until tortellini is tender. Serve immediately. Yield: about 6 quarts soup.

Sourdough bread is great with any soup, and Sourdough Sandwich Bread is a softer, fine textured version, good for sandwiches and toast. I shared photos on the Facebook page several weeks ago. You need a robust active starter for this bread.

Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Batter:

1 cup active sourdough starter

2 cups lukewarm water

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Combine starter with water in a large ceramic or glass bowl. Add flour all at once and stir with a wood spoon until well combined and smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to work 12 hours or over night. Stir down with a wood spoon. Measure 3 cups batter for the following recipe and return remaining starter to starter container and refrigerate.

Bread:

3 cups sourdough batter

6 –6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

2 Tbsp salt

1 1/2 cups whole milk

2 Tbsp butter

Place batter in a large glass or ceramic bowl Stir in 1 cup of the flour and the sugar.

Heat milk with butter and salt until butter just melts and cool to lukewarm. Stir into batter.

Stir in additional flour, 1 cup at a time until a soft dough forms (about 4 cups)

Turn dough out onto a liberally floured surface and knead-in enough of the remaining flour until still soft, but smooth and elastic. This will take 8 to 10 minutes.

Place dough in a large, generously greased, glass or ceramic bowl, turning once to grease

surface. Let rise until dough, about 2 hours.

Punch dough down with a fist to the center. Turn dough in the bowl. Let rise again for about 30 minutes.

Turn dough out onto floured surface and divide in half. Flatten slightly and gently roll each half into a loaf. Place in well greased loaf pans. Brush surfaces with melted butter. Cover with a tea towel and let raise about 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake loaves 45 minutes until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped with your fingers. Remove from pans to cool completely before slicing. Yield 2 loaves.

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