Creamy Wild Rice Soup

I've been on a bit of a blogging hiatus for the last month, and in the 2 1/2 year history of this blog, that's the longest I've gone without at least a little tidbit for those of you in cyber space. I may or may not have a few of the usual excuses of course:

1. I've been utterly swamped with life, trying to get things in order to move, and work's been nuts, and I have the fish to tend too... 

2. I have writer's block... ( Or I've been lazy...).  Anyone whose read this blog  or knows me personally knows I can carry on forever and a day about something that happened on a walk, or something someone said in passing  that I've decided to read into until my head pops.

3. I've been kind of bummed because I lost my grandma a few weeks ago. This would be the most true of the three excuses I've got, and I'm sure it's the winner.

 For my entire life, my grandparents were a huge part of my life. They were basically an extension of my nuclear family. After losing my grandpa and dad several years ago only 6 months apart from one another, my mom, sister, brother- in- law, grandma, Adam and me were together all the time. Then came my nieces, who brightened up the family tree like a couple of sugar maple leaves in October.

My grandma was doing really well up until a few months ago, and her quick decline was such a pain-staking thing to see. The matriarch. The lady who washed used plastic bags out and used them until they were ragged. The lady who made truckloads of Christmas cookies and watched The Andy Griffith Show on mute while clipping coupons.

 As I was on my way to Ely, MN to visit my family a few weeks ago, it was the first trip there without my grandma there. I'd made this drive so many times over the last 31 years I could almost get there blindfolded, but every few minutes I'd look around like I was lost. Nothing looked familiar, even though I was clearly  heading the right direction. Suddenly it dawned on me; it was different because it was the first time I headed there that I wouldn't stop at grandmas, or call and say I got there, but would be by in the morning after staying at my sister's. She wouldn't be there to drop hints that I make a batch of scones or wash her windows.

That's life for you, I suppose, and one of the concepts we cannot deny, no matter how nice it would be to do so. 
 As I move onto a new chapter of life, moving into a new house and getting married, I will carry on all the memories I've had, and do my best to make plenty of my own for the next generations. ( Along with a hefty recipe collection) =)

Creamy Wild Rice Soup

-2 quarts chicken broth

-1 cup chopped mushrooms

-1 cup finely chopped celery

-1 cup finely chopped carrots

-1 medium onion finely chopped

-1 cup diced potatoes

-2 cups diced cooked  chicken

-1 t. parsley

-1 t. thyme

1/2 t. garlic powder

-1/4 cup butter

-1/2 cup dry white wine ( or additional broth)

-1 can cream of mushroom soup

- 1 cup shredded swiss cheese

-3 cups wild rice, cooked

Directions: 

-In a large saucepan, combine the first nine ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

-In Dutch oven, melt butter; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in broth mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Whisk in soup and wine. Add rice and chicken; heat through. Yield: 14 servings (3-1/2 quarts).*Adapted from Taste of Home

Nutty wild rice with creamy broth and oddles of hearty veggies, this is a perfect soup for a rainy fall day.

Enjoy!