Aunt Linda's Mushroom Soup

I'm well aware that my aunt found this recipe somewhere and didn't invent it herself, but it will forever remind me of our cozy, Christmas party at her house where I fell in love with this soup.

I don't have an actual picture- it doesn't matter. It's not what it looks like that makes it appetizing. But here are some cutie mushrooms that will soon be soup:

Mushroom Soup

5 TB butter, divided
2 leeks, rinsed and chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
6 C chicken broth
2 tsp dill (dried is perfect)
2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 bay leaf
2 lbs of potatoes, peeled, rinsed and cubed
1 lb fresh mushrooms rinsed and sliced
1/2 C heavy cream
1/4 C flour

Melt 3 TB of the butter in a large sauce pan over med heat. Mix in leeks and carrots, cook for 5 minutes or until softened. 
Pour in the broth and season with dill, salt and pepper. Add bay leaf and potatoes and cover, cook for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. 
While that is cooking, saute the mushrooms in the rest of the butter and season with a bit of salt. Add the mushrooms to the soup and cook for another 5 minutes. In a small bowl mix the cream and the flour till smooth, stir it into the soup and serve very warm. 
Garnish with dill.

Jaime Oliver's Chicken and Leek Stroganoff

This was from the book I posted about earlier. I have been having a lot of fun with these. Mainly, because I'm starting with the 30 minutes meals, so they are fast and easy. So far, I've enjoyed each recipe. This stroganoff is surprisingly tasty. It's tangy, creamy and savory all at the same time. My husband acted on instinct, and said "he may not be able to eat all of it, and save some for later"... but once he tasted it he finished it all off.

Chicken and Leek Stroganoff

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup long-grain or Basmatti Rice (I used short brown rice)

1 large leek

big handful of mushrooms (I used cremini)

2 chicken breasts

olive oil

a knob of butter

a glass of good, tasty white wine

a bunch of fresh parsley

1 1/2 cups heavy cream*

Cook your rice according to the packet instructions in salted boiling water.

Cut both ends off the leek, quarter lengthways and then slice across thinly, then wash well under running water. Slice the mushrooms. Slice the Chicken Breasts into finger size pieces.

Put a large frying pan on a high heat and add a good lug of olive oil and the knob of butter.

Add the leek to the pan with the white wine and a small glass of water and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Let it bubble away for 5 minutes loosely covered with a piece of foil.

Meanwhile, finely chop the parsley, stalks and all. Remove the foil and add the chicken strips, most of the parsley, the cream and the mushrooms.

Stir, and bring back to a boil then turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes.

Just before serving, cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice of one half into the stroganoff. Season to taste. Spoon rice onto each plate, and top with the stroganoff. Scatter with the remainder of the chopped parsley.