January 2018 Update - I went to make this old standby dish last week, only to discover that I didn't have the peas called for in the original recipe (the one I've used for decades). But never you mind. I had a bag of frozen spinach, so I substituted with that. The results were great and had me wondering why I haven't tried this sooner. Making do with what you have is the name of the game for busy, frugal householders.
I'm fairly sure that the original for this classic recipe came from the old Better Homes and Garden cookbook. That one and Joy of Cooking were pretty much the bibles for homemakers around the country for decades and the main reference for recipes in our kitchen, growing up. A great deal of the food served at family mealtimes came from these books.
Tastes may have changed since the days when these cookbooks were the mainstays in most kitchens, but sometimes the comfort foods of old just hit the spot. This meal is definitely one such case.
I’ve incorporated some healthier ingredients into the meal than the original recipe called for, such as whole grain pasta (see my note below) and vegetables, but I could not realistically find an alternative to the canned soup in the ingredient list.
Of course, it’s perfectly possible to make your own cream of mushroom soup from scratch, using fresh mushrooms, some oil, milk, flavorings, and flour or corn starch. But there is no guarantee at all that wouldn’t be more expensive than the canned soup, and I don’t know many modern cooks who have that kind of time to put into their meals.
Using the canned soup definitely makes life easier, and since I’m a believer in moderation and practicality, I see no problem with using it now and again.
And don’t hesitate to substitute another cream soup to replace the mushroom soup altogether. For example, cream of celery or broccoli would also work very nicely with this recipe.
Here’s a helpful hint for streamlining and speeding up the process whenever you make any kind of cream sauce:
Tastes may have changed since the days when these cookbooks were the mainstays in most kitchens, but sometimes the comfort foods of old just hit the spot. This meal is definitely one such case.
I’ve incorporated some healthier ingredients into the meal than the original recipe called for, such as whole grain pasta (see my note below) and vegetables, but I could not realistically find an alternative to the canned soup in the ingredient list.
Of course, it’s perfectly possible to make your own cream of mushroom soup from scratch, using fresh mushrooms, some oil, milk, flavorings, and flour or corn starch. But there is no guarantee at all that wouldn’t be more expensive than the canned soup, and I don’t know many modern cooks who have that kind of time to put into their meals.
Using the canned soup definitely makes life easier, and since I’m a believer in moderation and practicality, I see no problem with using it now and again.
And don’t hesitate to substitute another cream soup to replace the mushroom soup altogether. For example, cream of celery or broccoli would also work very nicely with this recipe.
Here’s a helpful hint for streamlining and speeding up the process whenever you make any kind of cream sauce:
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