Smoked Salmon And Cream Cheese Soup

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups onions (yellow or white variety, finely chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (crushed & finely minced)
• 3/4 cup fresh dill (chopped)
• 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning (more as desired)
• 2 medium tomatoes (ripe, seeded & chopped)
• 8 ounces smoked salmon (finely chopped)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 8 cups water
• 2 cups fresh spinach (10 oz pkg, stems removed & leaves finely chopped)
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1/3 cup vodka
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
• snipped fresh chives (optional garnish)

1. Melt butter in med-size stock pot over med heat. Add onion + garlic & saute till onions are soft, 10-15 minutes.
2. Stir in dill, Old Bay Seasoning, tomatoes & smoked salmon. Cook 3 minutes. Then add flour & cook 1 min more.
3. Gradually stir in water & heat to a soft boil. Reduce heat & simmer uncovered over med-low heat for 20 minutes.
4. Stir in spinach & simmer 5 more minutes.
5. Stir in cream cheese (1 oz at a time) over low heat, allowing ea bit to melt into the soup.
6. When all the cream cheese has been added & the soup is smooth, stir in the vodka & lemon juice. Taste for seasonings & serve immediately.
7. NOTES: I entered this recipe as given to me & made a half recipe w/2 chgs in my trial version.
8. I left out the vodka (none in the house!), subbed dry white wine & frankly doubt I will ever use the vodka. I pd homage to a DH pers pref & subbed diced broccoli florets for the spinach. I pd homage to 1 of my own by adding 4 oz baby shrimp.
9. Pers pref are often at the heart of any success a recipe enjoys. I found this soup in need of salt, but DH did not. He found the lemon juice a bit excessive, but I did not. Bottom line is tasting for your pers pref is advised.

unsalted butter, onions, garlic, fresh dill, bay seasoning, tomatoes, salmon, flour, water, fresh spinach, cream cheese, vodka, lemon juice, fresh ground black pepper, fresh chives

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/smoked-salmon-and-cream-cheese-soup-198408 (may not work)