In Grandma's Hand

Sometimes, the best recipes aren't new inventions, filled with exotic, expensive ingredients and using cooking techniques you need a science degree to understand. More often than not, they're simple, easy, tried-and-true classics that we find in our mothers' and grandmothers' recipe boxes. Worn, torn and covered in too many stains to bother counting, these are more than words on a piece of stiff card - they're a part of us, our families, and a piece of what brings everyone together regardless of worldly turmoil... a good, hot meal at the kitchen table. I'm going to be periodically posting recipes which I've found in my mom's "Black Box" that remind me of those times around the table (under the label "Classic Family Recipes"). These recipes could have beeen shared at many tables, from ours at home, to my grandma's on Sundays or the occasional special concoction that I brought home from school on the Fridays I took Home Ec. Feel free to comment on any or all of them, or let me know your own culinary traditions in a note in the comment field!

Ironic as it is (being 30C outside with air humid enough to swim through), the first recipe I found in my travels through the box is one written in my grandma's handwriting for Mushroom Bisque. My grandma used to make this soup all the time - tangy, rich and creamy, and filled with browned mushrooms and onions - especially when she was on her Weight Watchers diet back in the late 90's. I never knew that the soup was in any way low-cal or low-fat until I ran it through my calculator today... heck, at a measly 65 calories per bowl, you can feel awesome about sneaking that second creamy bowl! Just make sure to do it before the soup cools down - heating the soup back to boiling after the yogurt is added not only will curdle it (ew!) but will also kill the good bacteria in the cooling addition.

Mushroom Bisque
Serves 4
3 tbsp diced onion
1/4 cup water
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp flour
3 cups rich vegetable stock
1 tbsp sherry
1/2 cup lowfat (not fat-free) plain yogurt
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

1. Saute the onion in 2 tbsp of the water until translucent.
2. Add mushrooms and remaining water, cook 7-8 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Sprinkle in flour and stir in well.
4. Slowly add the stock and sherry, stirring constantly. Cook 5 minutes longer.
5. Remove from heat and stir in yogurt, salt and pepper just before serving.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 65.4
Total Fat: 0.7 g
Cholesterol: 1.8 mg
Sodium: 729.3 mg
Total Carbs: 10.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.9 g
Protein: 3.8 g
WW Points: 1