Substitute for cream of mushroom soup

[odiebush]

That thread last week got me thinking that there has got to be an alternative to canned cream of mushroom soup that is better for you. I'm trying to cut back on salt in my diet, After doing a google search for substitute cream of mushroom soup here is one I found that tastes pretty good. I've only tried it in one recipe but it turned out really good. I skipped the salt and used low sodium chicken broth.

http://joannmski.blogspot.com/2008/0...room-soup.html

Paula

[jvirginia]

LOL! I was just going to recommend a classic white sauce ...

just like that one. It is a wonderful thing to know how to make.

A basic white sauce is the foundation of a lot of cooking, including french cooking. You first saute flour and fat into a roux (a paste) so that the flour cooks a bit. Then slowly add warm liquid - for a pure cream sauce, do milk; for a more flavored sauce do 1/2 milk and 1/2 chicken stock. To make a cheese sauce (for broccoli, baked potatoes, or mac and cheese) add grated cheese to either of the above. As the post indicates, you can do a lot of variations on this by adding mushrooms, herbs, celery, different cheeses etc. I was always taught 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp flour per cup of liquid. Also, if the liquid is warm you are less likely to have lumps.

Real gravy is made almost the same way - except you deglaze the roasting pan first and may use the chicken or turkey fat instead of butter as your fat, and you use only stock/water as your liquid; no milk. Otherwise it is the same thing.

The first thing I learned how to cook was Chicken a la King (very 1950s!) and it taught me a huge amount - you first boil a bunch of chicken breasts on the bone with some veggies. Then you take out the breasts and cut off the meat to use in the recipe. You put the bones back and boil the liquid down into chicken stock. Being able to make stock is a big building block to cooking.

After that, you make a roux - a second major building block - and then use the stock to make a white sauce - a third major building block - and flavor the sauce and add the chicken and some veggies and voila! Chicken a la king.

[Val.]

I use Campbells Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom soup. It's lower in sodium (but not salt free) and a much healthier alternative to the traditional soup.

[SaraV]

just like that one. It is a wonderful thing to know how to make.

A basic white sauce is the foundation of a lot of cooking, including french cooking. You first saute flour and fat into a roux (a paste) so that the flour cooks a bit. Then slowly add warm liquid - for a pure cream sauce, do milk; for a more flavored sauce do 1/2 milk and 1/2 chicken stock. To make a cheese sauce (for broccoli, baked potatoes, or mac and cheese) add grated cheese to either of the above. As the post indicates, you can do a lot of variations on this by adding mushrooms, herbs, celery, different cheeses etc. I was always taught 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp flour per cup of liquid. Also, if the liquid is warm you are less likely to have lumps.

Real gravy is made almost the same way - except you deglaze the roasting pan first and may use the chicken or turkey fat instead of butter as your fat, and you use only stock/water as your liquid; no milk. Otherwise it is the same thing.

The first thing I learned how to cook was Chicken a la King (very 1950s!) and it taught me a huge amount - you first boil a bunch of chicken breasts on the bone with some veggies. Then you take out the breasts and cut off the meat to use in the recipe. You put the bones back and boil the liquid down into chicken stock. Being able to make stock is a big building block to cooking.

After that, you make a roux - a second major building block - and then use the stock to make a white sauce - a third major building block - and flavor the sauce and add the chicken and some veggies and voila! Chicken a la king.

I totally agree -- white sauce is *so* easy and useful, and is the basis of so many simple, tasty -- economical dishes.

One year our Easter dinner was creamed eggs - baked with a white sauce that I'd melted gruyere cheese into - with ham slices and asparagus. Everyone thought it was fancy, delicious, food - and it was the easiest thing EVER.

[JulieATL]

Loving the white sauce basis for recipes.......m

"I totally agree -- white sauce is *so* easy and useful, and is the basis of so many simple, tasty -- economical dishes."

Okay, now my interest is really peaked. I've done roux's to start or thicken up gravy or make my mac n cheese, but I'd love to know more ways to apply it to make yummy homemade dishes with a flavorful sauce. The chicken a la king was a great idea, any other thoughts? I get so sick of just making a roasted chicken with veggies and potatoes or rice on the side, I like the idea of a casserole type dish, but I totally reject a recipe if it calls for any kind of canned soup (other than broth) becasue of the sodium and maltodextrose, and goodness knows whatever else they put in that stuff.

Bring on the ideas!