The weekend has gone by in a blur! I’ve decided that there will be no pressure with this blog to do it everyday, but I definitely want to try to give you at least 5 recipes or ideas a week.

Friday turned out to be a bit of a chaotic day. I got an order for some pillow biscuits to deliver within one and a half hours and I didn’t have any left. Normally I ask for at least 24 hours notice especially because pillow biscuits are fairly time consuming, but I was feeling generous so I rushed home and made a batch in an hour. It’s amazing how the adrenaline can pump. I had to package them while they were still warm so I’m not sure whether or not that made them a bit soggy, but they seemed ok.

So we needed a gentle, calm, easy meal for Friday evening. Voila! Mushroom soup with toasted slices of french loaf courtesy of Pick n Pay’s Fresh Living magazine (Issue 29). The recipe is for 1, so I just increased it and we each had a decent serving, plus a little extra for seconds.

Button Mushroom and Thyme Soup (for 1)

(Options: Use a selection of mushrooms to boost the flavour. Add some cream (125ml) for a richer soup.)

• Olive Oil for frying
• Half a small onion (chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 250 gm button mushrooms (sliced)
• 2 tsp thyme leaves (I used dried)
• 1/4 cup (60ml) white wine
• 1.5 – 2 cups of vegetable or chicken stock

Heat a glug of oil in a small saucepan and fry onion until soft.

Add garlic and fry for another minute. Remove mix from saucepan and set aside on a plate.

Add a little more oil and fry mushrooms over a high heat until slightly browned.

Reduce heat, return onion to pan and add thyme and wine.

Allow to redu ce by half.

Add stock and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove a few tablespoonfuls of mushrooms. Add cream if desired. Blitz soup with a stick blender until smooth.

Return reserved mushrooms to soup and allow to reheat.

Season and serve with toast.

I drizzled some olive oil, sea salt and milled pepper in a roasting pan. Sliced by french loaf, rubbed it in the oil and toasted it under the grill. (Thankfully I had a big loaf, because I forgot about the first slices and ended up with charcoal!)

So I made this for two. I doubled up most of the ingredients and added cream. My husband had seconds, always a good sign.

It was quite yummy and, although filling, nice and light for a late dinner or starter. Pair it with a nice sherry and a good movie and you have an awesome wintery evening in.