This is the perfect soup if you don’t have much time. The whole thing’s made in the microwave, and it’s delicious.

Ingredients

　　1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

　　1/2 pound sliced mushrooms

　　1 medium onion, chopped

　　1 cup lightly packed chopped fresh parsley

　　1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

　　One 14-ounce can beef broth

　　1 cup sour cream

　　Mushroom slices

　　In a 7 x 11-inch baking dish, heat the butter for 30 seconds in the microwave to melt it. Add the mushrooms, onion, and parsley, and microwave for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice. Stir in the flour and 1/2 cup of the beef broth. Cook, uncovered, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until bubbly. In a blender, working in batches, purée the mixture with the sour cream and the remaining beef broth. Return the soup to the baking dish and reheat for 3 minutes. If the soup is made ahead, cover and refrigerate. Serve cold, or reheat the soup, covered, in the microwave for 3 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and float mushroom slices on top.

　　The Lady & Sons, Too! by Paula Deen. © 2001 by Paula H. Deen. Published by Random House. All Rights Reserved.Paula H. Deen was born and raised in Albany, Georgia. She later moved to Savannah, where she and her two sons, Bobby and Jamie, started the Bag Lady catering company. The business took off and evolved into The Lady & Sons Restaurant, which is located in Savannah’s historic district and specializes in Southern cooking. Paula is the host of Food Network’s Paula’s Home Cooking and is a regular guest on QVC, where her cookbooks are one of the newtowrk’s biggest sellers.