Wednesdays Unplugged – Chicken Wild Rice Soup

NOTE: I spend my Wednesdays Unplugged from appointments. It's my day to stay home, enjoy cooking and welcome our kids and grandkids for dinner in the evening. We end our meal with quotes from the Norwegian 'Quote Cup' passed on to me from my grandmother. I share a quote and a recipe here each week, and sometimes some photos of family fun. I love trying new recipes…and love getting recipes you would like to share!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity." ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

After spending a week in New York where it still felt like winter but there was hardly any snow it's surprising to look out the window and see the snow piled pretty high on our patio…it feels even more like winter here!

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

I think of wild rice soup as quintessentially Minnesotan. This week's recipe is based on a recipe from a Minnesota farm wife.

CHICKEN WILD RICE SOUP

• 1/2 cup wild rice
• 4 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 1 bunch green topped carrots, sliced
• 1/2 pound fresh sliced mushrooms
• 3/4 cup flour
• 48 ounces chicken broth (6 cups)
• 1 teaspoon beau monde seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 3 tablespoons dry sherry
• 2 cups half-and-half

Heat 1/2 cup wild rice, 4 cups cold water and 1 teaspoon salt in a large pan. Bring to a hard boil, reduce heat, cover and boil 30 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand 25-35 minutes, then drain.

While rice is cooking, cook and cube chicken (microwave, pan fry or bake).

Then melt butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the onion and carrots and saute for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute for 2 more minutes. Then add the flour and stir well. Gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly, until all has been added. Bring just to a boil, reduce heat to low and let simmer…or transfer to a crock pot.

Add the drained rice, cubed chicken, beau monde seasoning, curry powder, mustard powder, dried parsley, pepper, almonds and sherry. If cooking on the stove top allow to heat through before adding the half-and-half. Then let simmer for 1 to 2 hours…or cook all on low in crock pot 4-6 hours.