Bring on the Soup!

So now that we have dessert, I guess I should post the soup!  There is nothing better than hot soup on a rainy day...

CREAMY CHICKEN AND WILD RICE SOUP
4 cups chicken broth (or reserved liquid from cooking the chicken)
2 cups water
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 package Uncle Ben's long grain and wild rice with seasoning packet
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup flour
1/2 cup chicken broth (or butter--depending how fattening you want your soup to be)
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups milk


(If your chicken is not already cooked, you can cook it now and use the cooking liquid as your broth.  Place it in a large pan and cover with water.  Add sliced onion, green bell pepper, a couple stalks of celery and 2 bullion cubes.  Cover and simmer for approximately 20-30 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.  Remove chicken and strain the liquid, reserving for the soup.  If you don't want to do this, just use canned broth--they taste about the same)
In a large pot over medium heat, combine the 4 cups of broth and 2 cups of water.  Bring just to boiling, then stir in the rice but keep the seasoning packet for later.  If you're using the quick cooking rice, add the chicken now and cover and remove from heat.  If you're using the original rice, continue to cook according to package directions (25 minutes boiling) and add chicken five minutes before the time is up.  
In a separate sauce pan, heat 1/4 cup chicken broth and stir in contents of seasoning packet, salt and pepper.  Cook until mixture is bubbly.  Reduce heat and add flour to form a roux.  Whisk in cream and milk slowly, keeping the mixture smooth as you go.  Cook until thickened, approximately 5 minutes, but don't boil.  Stir the cream mixture into the broth and rice.  Cook another 10-15 minutes, stirring often, allowing the liquids to blend together.  If the soup seems too thick, add water to thin to desired thickness.


NOTE:  When I made this I didn't have enough whipping cream so I had to improvise.  I used 1/2 pint of whipping cream and added an 8 oz. block of fat free cream cheese. I used skim milk and increased the amount to 3 cups.  The flavor was fabulous, but the soup was really thick so I added another 1 1/2 cups water.  The original recipe is still better, but if you need to improvise, the soup is still doable!

It feels like soup weather

One of the best things about winter is soup.  I love it, and I usually cook it at least once a week, although this winter I haven't been making it as much as normal.  I'm not sure why, but I have felt lately like I'm missing out and soon spring will be here and soup season will be over!
A couple of years ago, I was having a craving for soup, and I had a particular flavor in mind.  I searched everywhere for a recipe that would accommodate my craving but found nothing.  That prompted me to try and "invent" my very own recipe...it was the first time I dared.  I had to tweak it a few times, but it has turned into my second favorite (right behind a creamy chicken noodle soup that I will post on another day) and it's Savannah's absolute favorite!  It's pretty spicy so I usually serve it with sweet rolls of some kind.

SPICY TOMATO NOODLE SOUP

1 lb. ground turkey (or hamburger if you prefer)

2 Tbsp. corn starch

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. red pepper

1/4 tsp. oregano

2-3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

4 cups water

2 cups chicken broth (or one can)

3 Tbsp. sugar

3 (15 oz.) cans tomato sauce (substitute one can for crushed tomatoes if you like them)

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cups carrots, sliced

3 cups penne pasta or 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni (I prefer the whole wheat kind)

pepper to taste (I usually add about a teaspoon)

Brown meat and drain.  Cook onions until translucent; return meat to the pan and add corn starch and all the dry seasoning plus one cup of water.  Cook, stirring, on low for about 5 minutes (it will thicken because of the corn starch).  Add the rest of the water and all the other ingredients except the noodles.  Simmer on low for 1-2 hours.  Add the noodles about 20 minutes before serving.  Add extra water if needed, according to the consistency you want.  Serve with shredded cheddar cheese if desired.