quick and spicy mushroom soup

This is such a great soup - no fillers, just sauteed mushrooms with thyme and hot pepper flakes. You can rustle it up in about ten minutes, throw together a green salad , slice up a rustic bread and have a nice brunch/dinner on the table in under a half an hour.

To make:

4 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

4 T. unsalted butter ( or olive oil, if you prefer, but butter is better)

4 cups chicken stock or broth

1/4 t. hot pepper flakes

2 t. thyme

salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

hot sauce to taste - or just place bottle on the table

Serves about 4 people, depending on bowl size

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Toss in the mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms are browned and nutty.

Add the broth, hot pepper flakes, and thyme and stir well, scraping up the browned bits.

Using an immersion blender, or a regular blender, puree until smooth. Taste and add salt or pepper as wanted.

Pour into bowls and serve, topped with a little dill and a nicely browned mushroom.

Serves 4.