Italian Mushroom Soup

A confession: I don't usually love soup. Or, at least, broth-based soups (aka broth with stuff in it), I can usually get behind thicker soups like butternut squash or split pea. I can't explain why, but there it is. That being said, this mushroom soup is undeniably tasty and the addition of freshly grated parmesean cheese at the end pushes it into the "like" category for me. Sky loves it, and it was a hit when we made it for his family during the holidays. A cold night in Vermont + a warm hearty soup (and wonderful people) = a good night.

This recipe is adapted from The New York Times cookbook, here it is online.

Total time to cook: 1 hour
Makes about five servings

Ingredients:
4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium onion, diced into small pieces
1 pound of mushrooms (we used a combination of mostly baby bellas with some shitakes, but feel free to mix it up with whatever you can find), cleaned and thinly sliced
1 can of diced tomatoes, drained
Black pepper
2 eggs
1 cup grated parmesean cheese
A thick, hearty bread, sliced, toasted and buttered

Steps:
- In a large, heavy pot, bring the stock to a simmer over medium heat.
- In a medium pan, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. When it's fully melted, cook the garlic and onion for about a minute.
- Add the mushrooms and saute, mixing frequently, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and start to brown.

- Add the mushrooms, onions, and garlic to the stock, along with the tomatoes. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring regularly. Season with black pepper.

- Just before serving, whisk the eggs in a small bowl. Slowly pour into the soup and stir so the egg spreads out.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and add the parmesean cheese on top. Serve with as much bread as you'd like.