Wild Mushroom Soup

• ½ cup butter
• 1 medium sweet onion chopped, about 2 cups
• 2 lbs. assorted mushrooms, chopped (baby portabellas, white, oyster, beech, shitake, and maitake)
  
• 7 cups hot water
• 1/3 cup mushroom base
• 1/3 cup white wine
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• hearty grain bread, diced or torn into cubes
• Asiago cheese, grated

In a large soup pot over medium heat melt butter, then add onion and mushrooms. Saute for 8-10 minutes or until mushrooms are soft and onion is translucent. Liquid will form in pot from mushrooms. Then mix hot water with base, stirring until dispersed. Add water mixture to pot along with wine and black pepper. Cover and simmer for one hour. When ready, ladle into bowls and top with some bread cubes and Asiago cheese. Let cheese sit for a minute or two for bread to absorb broth and cheese to melt. Enjoy!!!

Use any variety of your favorite mushrooms for this soup. If you use a large portabella mushroom, cut away the dark gills. The gills won't affect the flavor, but will turn the soup an unappealing color. My favorite mushroom is maitake. I used Smart Balance margarine instead of butter. I also used a nice hearty multi-grain loaf of bread. You may purchase the soup base at www.soupbase.com or 1-800-827-8328.