Happy Weekend! Let me preface this post by stating that any obvious typos can be attributed to my fingers having gone completely numb. Robert and I are going on Day 4 of no heat and it has been dipping down into the high 30’s around here. Brrr. After the first missed appointment, the maintenance man finally showed up last night and was unable to find the issue. He wisely advised that we “bundle up and cuddle close” to make it through the night and promised to come back today. Considering Robert and I had a real argument last night about who got to sleep next to Renly the live heater, we better hope he follows through!

There are really only a few food items that will suffice for dinner when you are residing in an igloo. Hot, plentiful and warm-you-up-from-the-inside-out are my personal criteria and soup fits the bill. I love soup of all kinds. It’s versatile, healthy, can be made out of literally almost anything you have on hand and most of the time fairly inexpensive. This particular soup recipe came from my mother who clipped it from the weekend section of the local paper. I have since adapted it slightly and made it many times over for friends, family and batch lunches. It is delicious, re-heats perfectly and unlike some soups, filling enough to be a meal on it’s own, even for Robert! If you are really hungry or feeding a crowd, a gooey grilled cheese or crusty bread to dip would be the perfect accompaniment.

The addition of half and half rather than heavy cream makes this soup rich and creamy without all the extra calories. This soup can also be made gluten free by subbing the tiny bit of flour for cornstarch or your favorite GF flour. I have made it with cornstarch for my old roommate Christie who happens to be gluten free and I couldn’t taste the difference. Hope you enjoy this soup as much as we do! It’s a nice break from all the heavy holiday food so prevalent this time of year.

Speaking of holidays, Robert and I are off to decorate our Christmas tree! Here’s to hoping the poor little branches don’t freeze in our house

 

Lighter Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Adapted from The Associated Press

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

8 Oz. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, cubed (You can increase this amount easily depending on how many you are feeding)

1 Onion, diced

2 Cloves of Garlic, minced

3 Stalks of Celery, diced

2-3 Large Carrots, peeled and diced

1 Large potato, peeled and diced

3 Tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, minced

4 Cups Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth

1/2 Cup Wild Rice

2 Tbsp flour (or cornstarch/gf flour if gluten free)

2 Cups Fat Free Half and Half

Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

 

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over Medium High Heat. Add diced chicken breast, season with salt and pepper and cook until browned, 4-5 minutes.

2. Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrot and potato. Season well with salt and pepper and cook until browned, about another 4-5 minutes.

3. Add the rosemary, chicken broth and wild rice. Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook for 35-40 minutes, or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally.

4. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes until thickened. Reduce heat to low, add the half and half and cook until warmed through. DO NOT LET IT COME TO A BOIL, or half and half will separate. Once heated through, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately. Enjoy!