Artichoke Bisque - cooking recipe

Ingredients

42 ounces water-packed artichoke hearts (small size - 3 cans)
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of celery soup (or mushroom)
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half (fat free is fine)
1/2 lemon, juice of
1 tablespoon good season's dry mix Italian salad dressing mix
2 -3 leeks, trimmed and chopped
1 pinch cayenne or 1 pinch chipotle pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Saute leeks in butter or olive oil and place in food processor. Puree leeks.
Add 3 cans of drained artichoke hearts and pulse in the the food processor until just short of pureeing. Should be coarse and still a bit chuncky.
Mix together pureed ingredients, cream soup, broth, lemon juice and Italian dressing in stock pot and bring to simmer. Add 1/2 & 1/2 and heat thoroughly. Taste for seasonings and add salt as desired.
Serve hot. Keeps well in refrigerator.