Artichoke Portabella Soup

½ Cup chopped green onion (I use reg. onion)
2 Carrots, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
½ Cup butter, divided
1 bay leaf
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp oregano
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
4 Cups chicken broth
2 portabella mushrooms chopped (I buy the mini portabellas from Costco and chop a bunch of those)
1 Can (14 oz) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and sliced
3 T flour
1 Cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
In large saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion, carrots, and celery in ¼ C butter until they start to caramelize. Add chopped mushrooms and sauté 3 to 4 more minutes, then add bay leaf, thyme, oregano, cayenne, broth, and artichokes. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes. In small skillet, melt remaining butter over low heat. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Stir into artichoke mixture. Slowly add cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened and heated through.
4 to 6 servings