Angie Monk

What could be better on a cold day than a nice bowl of homemade soup or stew? A hearty soup with cornbread or crackers is a great meal for many folks. Many soups taste even better the second day, which probably helped popularize the slogan “Cook once, eat twice.” Simple food safety tips to keep in mind with soups/stews are:
• Avoid letting soup set at room temperature for more than two hours.
• When refrigerating leftovers, remember to use shallow containers so the soup will cool to the proper temperature quickly.
• When re-heating soups, reheat thoroughly to at least 165 degrees.
 
The following recipe is a delicious, hearty soup.  To save time, cook the chicken and wild rice and cut up the vegetables the day before.
                                                                                                                                                
Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
 
2 quarts chicken broth
½ lb. fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
½ cup finely chopped celery
1 cup shredded carrots
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
¼ tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. parsley flakes
¼ cup butter, cut into small cubes
¼ cup flour
1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
½ cup additional chicken broth
3 cups cooked wild rice
2 cups cubed, cooked chicken
 
In large saucepan, combine the first eight ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
In another large pan, melt butter, stir in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in broth/veggie mixture. Bring to a boil and then stir approximately 2 minutes or until thickened.  
Whisk in mushroom soup and ½ cup additional broth. Add rice and chicken and heat thoroughly. Enjoy!