Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

3/4 c. dry wild rice, rinsed

2 strips bacon, diced

8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced

1/2 c. onion, diced

1/4 c. carrot, diced

1/4 c. celery, diced

1/4 c. flour

2 T. dry sherry

4 c. chicken broth
2 c. cooked wild rice

2 c. cooked chicken, shredded

2 t. fresh thyme

1/2 c. whole milk

1/2 c. heavy cream

1/4 c. sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

green onions, sliced

slivered almonds, toasted

Directions:

Prepare wild rice according to package directions.

Saute bacon in a large pot until crisp. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Add mushrooms to drippings and saute over med-high heat until soft, 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add onion, carrot and celery; cover and sweat until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove lid and increase heat to medium.

Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Deglaze with sherry, scraping up bits of bottom of pot, then add broth, cooked rice, chicken, and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to med-low, and simmer 10 minutes.

Finish soup with milk, cream, sour cream, reserved bacon, salt, and pepper; gently simmer 1 minute to heat through. Garnish with green onions and toasted almonds.

Makes 8 cups. Total time 45 minutes + cooking rice

Verdict:

I love wild rice. I think I started when my Mom married my step dad Steve. I don't remember eating it before then but...here nor there. I thought this soup would rock my world. It didn't. I think if I am going to spend the time making wild rice I will just eat it by itself, because I like it that much.