Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

I recently whipped up some homemade cream of mushroom soup for just the hubby and I. The kids had eaten already in town after grocery shopping, but the parental units of the house were starving.  This soup comes together in such a short amount of time and I usually keep mushrooms (and the other ingredients for this) on hand.

 

 

My husband prefers this over buttered toast, but I enjoy it just as soup with some crackers on the side.  It can be used as a sauce to serve over chicken, as well.  I've used this as a base for cooking cubed steak in the slow cooker, too.

 

I've kind of shared this recipe before within my Savory Meatballs in a Homemade Mushroom Soup Sauce post.  But, I wanted to bring it to you today as simply a glorious soup that knocks the canned, store-bought variety out of the park!  This soup has such a velvety, rich texture and the mushrooms impart such a deep, earthy flavor.

 

This only makes enough for three servings, so you may want to double the recipe if you're feeding a larger family or just want some leftovers.

Savory Meatballs in Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup Sauce

If you're craving tender, savory meatballs simmered in a from-scratch, creamy mushroom gravy, you've come to the right place. My simple recipe shows you how to create a cream of mushroom soup style of sauce that is completely homemade (no canned soup here), yet is easy and uncomplicated. I've, also, included the recipe for my favorite meatballs. Paired together, you've got a dinner dish that I'm sure you'll want to make again and again ... and one that will make your family want to lick their plates clean.

This is really a two-for-one recipe post.  First, you'll find the meatball recipe with the cream of mushroom soup recipe to follow.  The meatballs can be made on their own and used in any recipe ... as can the soup!

I am in love with this homemade mushroom soup.  It is seriously beyond amazing and way better than the canned stuff.  It is ultra-luxurious and has a deep, rich flavor.  It can be eaten by itself just as a simple, comforting soup, but it really is a show-stopper matched up with meatballs and served over fluffy egg noodles.

You'll find instructions below, too, for making the meatballs in advance and freezing.  (Major time-saver for those busy weeknights.)

Pork Chop, Stuffing and Mashed Potato Casserole

This dish is a combination of several of our traditional Thanksgiving dinner fixings married together in one casserole - with pork chops taking the place of turkey. It isn't anything fancy and it certainly won't win the award for "Most Beautiful Dish of The Year." However, it is a perfect all-in-one dish that is ultra comforting and one that will most-likely become a family favorite.

This dish is a blend of both store-bought shortcut items and from-scratch components. Of course, you could make stuffing and/or mushroom gravy from scratch if you'd prefer. {The preparation of the whole dish would, of course, require more of a time investment in doing so.}

The recipe may look complicated, but here's the overall gist:

Whip up some homemade mashed potatoes. {Keep them a little thicker than normal.}
Mix together some stuffing mix with water, butter and dried cranberries.
Sear off some pork chops.
Layer it all together in a casserole dish and top it all off with a mushroom soup sauce/gravy.

Simple. Uncomplicated. And, oh, so scrumptious.

Yields 4 servings.