Ham and Wild Rice Soup

Oh my!  If you've been following my blog long, you know that soups are one of my favorite meals to cook AND eat.  Every Tuesday is Soup Day on our menu.  I usually try to make some french bread or cornbread or biscuits to go with it. The little girls love some soups but not others - this is one they don't love, but they fill up on bread and eat some. This Ham and Wild Rice Soup is one of MY favorite soups!  I love the crunchy texture of wild rice and adding it to this creamy soup makes a wonderful flavor and texture combination.  The recipe comes from Jane, who makes the best soups at the restaurant I used to work at.  I'm not sure where she found it, but it's a keeper.  I've only changed a few things in this recipe, one of those being that the original recipe calls for butter flavored Crisco.  I MUCH prefer a more natural approach using regular butter instead.  I also use less green pepper and a bit more chicken bouillon.

A bowl of Ham and Wild Rice soup and a nice crusty bread, make a wonderful light lunch or dinner.

Ham and Wild Rice Soup

2 C. water

1/2 C. wild rice

1/2 tsp. salt

     Heat to boiling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

1/4 C. butter

1/2 C. finely diced green pepper

1/2 C. diced celery

1/3 C. diced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

     Melt the butter in a large pot. (3-4 quarts)  Saute' the vegetables above until they're tender (about 7 minutes)

3 T. flour

2 tsp. chicken bouillon

     Add to vegetables and butter above.  Stir until blended.

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

3/4 C. diced ham

1 medium carrot grated finely

2 T. parsley - fresh or dried

2 C. milk

2 C. half & half

     Add these to the vegetables in pan.  Stir until well blended and then add in rice.  Simmer together for 15-20 minutes.