Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

As I was talking with my daughter the other day, I mentioned a chicken soup I was making.  She and I love to make our own stock and we really enjoy making different soups in the winter.  When I mentioned this soup, she said, "Mom you should post the recipe on your blog."  So here is a wonderful soup that is so easy once you have homemade stock.  I do believe it is the key to all wonderful soups.  Yes, I have bought boxed stock, but I must admit it is not as good as homemade.  If you have never made stock, it's quite simple.  If you don't want to make soup after making stock, you can freeze it for later.  You can go Here if you'd like to make my stock. 

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

• 2-3 chicken breasts or chicken left over from roasted chicken
• 1 large onion diced
• 3 large carrots sliced
• 3 stalks of celery diced
• 8 ounces of button mushrooms sliced (add later if you wish)
• 1 cup of wild rice
• 6 cups of stock

In a large dutch oven, saute' onions, carrots, and celery in a tablespoon of olive oil until your onion is transparent.  Add your chicken stock and chicken breasts.  Then add the following herbs:

• 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary--if you have fresh all the better.
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried dill
• 1 teaspoon of dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Allow your soup to come to a boil.  Then reduce heat to a simmer for one hour.  Add sliced mushrooms.  When the chicken is done, remove and shred.  Meanwhile in another saucepan make a roux of 1/4 cup of butter melted and 1/4 cup of flour.  Slowly add a cup of milk and a cup of half and half.  Cook about 4 minutes until thick.  Then add to soup along with chicken.  If the soup is too thick you can add a little more milk to thin. Serve your soup with a nice crusty bread or crackers.  Enjoy! 

If you don't like mushrooms, you of course can just leave them out.  A certain someone in my house doesn't care for them, but would never complain.  Love that kid! ♥

There is a lot of ice on our river.  So this morning on our way to our morning walk we stopped to take a few photos.  

Even though our temperatures are warming today, our soup will taste good.