The Whimsy House

We have a hurricane moving through North Carolina and we’ve been making snacks and then eating them for two days straight. When my neighbor texted and said he had extra chicken stock, I sent a kid over with a pail and he returned with a warm batch of broth.

Since it’s not going to stop raining in the next few days I figured I might as well make soup out of it. We just made a run for fresh veggies for the guinea pigs, (no, really), so we were stocked up with carrots and celery.



Throw a couple of whorls of olive oil in the pan set to medium-high and start heating up some chopped garlic. If you don't have a dutch oven, I can highly recommend one. I have a Le Creuset dutch oven that came to me second hand, but there are less expensive options available.

Once it starts to smell amazing, add the chicken, onion, carrots, celery and spices. Cook until a brown crust starts to form on the bottom of the pan. Pour chicken stock in and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. (Deglazing)

Add 1 cup of long rain white and black rice. Stirring while it comes back up to temperature to prevent sticking. When soup starts to simmer, turn the heat down to low and cover for 20 minutes or until rice is done.

Add milk, more or less as needed, a cup or two. Mix in half a cup of Parmesan cheese and stir. Cover and put on low until you are ready for dinner.



This soup can make a great next day dinner. Make it on Sunday and heat it up Monday night. Serve with a Traditional Greek Farm Salad and some crusty bread. Homemade dinner in five minutes flat.




Creamy Parmesan Chicken & Wild Rice Soup


Olive Oil

1 small onion chopped

Handful of baby carrots or 3 regular carrots

2 stalks of celery chopped

2 small breasts of chicken (approximately 2 cups of chicken, however you like it in soup. Grilled, leftover, rotisserie, anything will do.)

6 c. of Chicken Stock


Spices:

3 cloves of garlic

2 Bay Leaves

1 t. thyme


After Cooking Add:

2 c. Whole Milk (you can use skim too, don’t sweat it)

½ c. Parmesan Cheese


Optional: Mashed Potato Flakes (use to thicken as needed by adding, dry flakes to soup a quarter cup at a time


Directions:

Heat olive oil in the pan set to medium-high.

Add chopped garlic.

Add the chicken, onion, carrots, celery and spices. Cook until a brown crust starts to form on the bottom of the pan. Pour chicken stock in and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.


Add rice, stirring while it comes back up to temperature to prevent sticking.

Bring to a simmer, turn the heat down to low and cover for 20 minutes or until rice is done.


Add milk, more or less as needed, a cup or two. Mix in half a cup of Parmesan cheese and stir. Cover and back burner on low until you are ready for dinner.