Mushroom soup is good for the soul

Chicken soup may be good for a cold, but when I think of comfort, it's cream of mushroom soup that comes to my mind. The silky goodness and the earthy-good taste of mushrooms were something I kept thinking about on and off today. It's so cold outside and sipping some soup was just what I was looking for. So this afternoon, when my school let out early due to a coming ice storm, I stopped at the grocery store and was surprised to see it not very crowded. And then I came home and made this excellent little soup for dinner and served it with a piece of crusty rosemary herbed bread. I've gotta warn you, though, it isn't diet. It has probably a jillion calories, so eat at your own risk. Here goes:

Cream of Mushroom Soup
6 Tbsp. butter
1 med. onion, chopped
3/4 lb. mushrooms
3 Tbsp. flour
1 Knorr Swiss vegetable cube
3 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup light cream

1 large bay leaf
freshly ground pepper

Melt the butter and add the chopped onion. Cook until transparent at medium. Add mushrooms and continue to cook for about 5 min. Add the flour and the vegetable cube and stir in. Immediately add the chicken broth and water, incorporating slowly. Add bay leaf and pepper, cover and bring to a boil. Turn heat down immediately and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf and add cream. If desired, top with fresh croutons or crackers.