Day 202

I'm ready for spring.  No more of these blustery winds or snow flurries.  I just want flowers and butterflies and warm summer days that I can sit under a big oak tree with a book and a picnic.  And a puppy...

However, warm weather means the end to comforting, hot, creamy soups.  At least for me.  I just cannot bring myself to pas sup fresh watermelon or corn for hot soup when it's spring or summer time.  Tonight's dinner was an alternative to classic chicken noodle soup, of which I'm not a huge fan unless it's my mom's.  I don't love the noodles.  Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup it is!

Chop up 4 celery stalks and 4 large, whole, peeled carrots.

I shopped these up early and threw 'em in the fridge for a few hours.

Throw one cup of chopped onion in the bowl, too.

Heat equal parts olive oil and butter.  I guess you could only use olive oil, but I was using fat free half and half, so I let the butter in on the action.  

Sauté the onion, celery, and carrots for 10 minutes on medium low heat or until tender.

 Add 6 cups good chicken broth.  As I use salted butter, my chicken broth is reduced sodium.  Season with salt and fresh ground pepper.

Turn the heat up to medium high and add 3/4 pound chicken (or however much you have), poaching.  

Once chicken is cooked and is opaque, add the rice and seasoning packet from Uncle Ben's Long Grain Wild Rice box.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Mix 1/3 flour and 1-1/2 cups regular or fat free half and half together in a small bowl.  Add to soup pot and reduce heat to low.  Cook for 10 minutes until rice is cooked and soup is thickened.

  Serve with warmed crusty bread.

This is delicious and so easy to make, especially if you do all the chopping before hand.  You can use leftover chicken, too, making this even simpler!

Note: This soup thickens and turns more into a chowder as it sits in the fridge.  We found it just as delicious but you can definitely thin it out with more chicken broth.