Cream of Asparagus and Mushroom Soup

Recipe View In a large, deep skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble bacon when cool; set aside. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon drippings in a small bowl. Set aside the skillet. (10 minutes)

Recipe View Melt butter with reserved bacon drippings in a large saucepan over medium heat. (2 minutes)

Recipe View Add celery and onion to the saucepan and cook until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add potato and asparagus stalks, reserving asparagus tips for later. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. (25 minutes)

Recipe View Carefully pour soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway. Secure the lid with a folded kitchen towel and blend until smooth. Repeat in batches until all soup is puréed. Alternatively, use an immersion blender directly in the pot. (10 minutes)

Recipe View In the same skillet used for bacon, cook mushrooms and asparagus tips until mushrooms release their liquid, about 5-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. (8 minutes)

Recipe View Stir mushrooms, asparagus tips, and half-and-half cream into the puréed soup. Cook until thoroughly heated. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with crumbled bacon before serving.