There’s nothing better than a hot bowl of soup on a cool Fall night. I made a simple mushroom and rice soup tonight that I based on one I recently had at a Japanese restaurant. You’ll look at the ‘recipe’ and wonder if I’ve lost my mind. It’s only 4 ingredients but packs alot of flavor.

2 cups cooked rice
4 cups chicken stock
8 oz. cremini mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil

Clean and slice the mushrooms. Heat a small pot, add olive oil, and add sliced mushrooms. Do not stir! Allow the mushrooms to get a bit browned before turning them. I find that if you put mushrooms in a pan and begin stirring the flavors do not develop and often they become watery. Once the mushrooms are browned add the stock and bring to a bowl. Add a few turns of pepper and a pinch of salt for flavoring.

Place a 1/2 cup of rice into a soup bowl and ladle in a cup of the soup. Makes 2 big portions or 4 small ones.

Simple? Yes. Quick? Yes. Tasty? Heck, yes.

You shouldn’t substitute a different type of mushroom — the creminis bring a strong mushroom flavor to the soup. The rice softens when the broth is added making for a comforting meal.

Note: If you happen to be a fan of Weight Watcher’s, this recipe can be made with fat-free stock for a low points version.