Portobello Mushroom And Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons margarine
- 1/4 onion, chopped
- 2 large portobello mushroom caps, diced
- 2 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth, divided
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons bacon bits
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup half-and-half
- 4 ounces shredded Gouda cheese

Directions:
- Heat margarine in a pot and cook onion until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and 1 can of chicken broth and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add sweet potato and second can of chicken broth to the pot. Stir in bacon bits, garlic salt, thyme, and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer soup until sweet potato is soft, about 15 minutes.
- Remove and discard bay leaf. Puree soup using an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in half-and-half and Gouda cheese and mix until well blended.