We received our first snowfall of 2012 here in NJ over the weekend. It was just a couple inches, nothing too bad. Of course my standards are different this year after last years freak January when it snowed every.single.week.
So with it snowing and chilly outside, it seemed like a perfect weekend to crack open our cookbooks and make something to warm our kitchen and our bellies. Rachel and I both agreed this Wild Rice Soup was a great dish to start with.
We’ve kind of neglected our physical cookbooks, favoring instead online recipes. Personally, I blame fellow food bloggers for posting so many delicious recipes I can’t help but make them – you know who you are!
Anyway, this recipe came out of rice themed cookbook Rachel gave me a few years ago. It has tons of delicious recipes, but since it got pushed to the back of the shelf it kind of went unnoticed- until this weekend when we dusted it off. Needless to say after this delicious soup recipe we got from it, the cookbook is now at the front of the shelf.
This wild rice soup is perfect for the snowy, wintry weather. First, it’s super simple to make. So if you have to shovel out from under the snow, are playing with the kids or pup in the yard, or just aren’t interested in working too hard in the kitchen, this recipe is for you. But don’t let its ease dissuade you, this soup is savory, creamy, and satisfying.
We made a few minor alterations to help lighten it up (like not adding oil to the cooking bacon – seriously?) and using a wild rice/long grain rice mix (because it was much cheaper than straight up wild rice – hey, I’m unemployed remember?).
The result is a filling soup “perfect for company” or for a chilly winter day.
So what did Baby Boy think of the first snowfall he got to go out and frolic in? (his first was they day he was born, but he was in no condition to play in it)
Well, he was unsure. He must have thought, “What is this stuff? It’s too bright out here. It’s cold. I can’t walk around. I can’t eat or lick it. Why the heck did you people bring me out here anyway?” So while he was content to hang out in my arms for a few minutes, looking around at the white stuff puzzled, he didn’t want anything to do with the snow itself.
That’s ok. He’s only 10 months old after all (Happy Birthday by the way!). Maybe next time right?
P.S. – We’ll be dropping Wednesday publication, posting just Tuesday and Thursday, for a while until unemployment, new job *crosses fingers*, and everything else settles down. Thanks for understanding 
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (3 oz) wild rice
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 1 green pepper, finely chopped
- 4 bacon slices
- 4 white button mushrooms, stems removed, chopped
- 4 cups (32 oz) chicken stock
- 1/2 cup (4 fl oz) cream or milk
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Put wild rice in a saucepan with enough water to cover, bring to a boil and cook for 40 minutes until rice is tender, then drain. Or, substitute straight wild rice with a wild rice and long grain rice mix (cooking time will be about 20 minutes instead). Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, cook bacon until very crisp. Remove bacon to drain on paper towels and pour out excess bacon fat but don't scrape or clean the pan. Return fry pan to heat and add the onion, celery, pepper, and cook until onions are translucent. Add mushrooms and cook additional 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil, then add the rice, chopped bacon, cream, and parsley and continue to cook until boiling. Serve in deep bowls with bread.
Recipe adapted from: The Essential Rice Cookbook
What did you cook this weekend?
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Welcome to The Keenan Cookbook! We're your hosts Chris & Rachel. 
The soup looks good! This weekend I made a homemade tomato sauce and then took part of if and added browned ground beef to make a meat sauce. I served the meat sauce over spaghetti. The rest of the sauce I froze for later.
Oh that sauce sounds great! Recipe on your site? I have a sauce and meatball recipe I have to post, just need the photos. Hard to photograph I think.
PS – Made your sourdough baguettes. They were awesome. Very tasty. I want to feature them on a Taste Test Thursday but want to bake a few more times to perfect my technique and get them to look prettier
I am working on the post for the tomato sauce. Look for it in the next week or so. Glad you liked the baguettes. I would be honored if you feature them in a Taste Test Thursday post.
Yes!! I knew that was bacon in there. Mmm. It’s warming up today but this would still be perfect for lunch.
Yesterday was gorgeous! Such nice warm weather. I took Baby Boy for a walk while Rachel got some rest (pretty sure rest was straightening up while we mess makers were out). Hope you enjoyed the day. Let me know if you try the soup and what you think!