Curry Instead of Cupcakes

Well, I was going to post some photos of Kate's birthday celebrations, but I've looked everywhere and can't find where Mike hid the camera! It's probably put away wherever it is that the camera belongs, but I don't know where that is.

So I'll write about the delicious soup I made yesterday and give you the recipe so you can taste it, too. It's a creamy wild rice and chicken soup with a hint of curry that just makes it so perfect. My mom made it for us when we were in Oklahoma in December, and I loved it so much. She got the recipe from her coworker Kathy, who got it from a cookbook published by war veterans! Army dudes can cook!

When I called my mom yesterday to find out if she added more curry (we're big fans of curry in our family and often add more than the recipe calls for - but not this time, it's the perfect amount), I found out that she was actually making the same soup at the same time! All the popular kids are doing it.

I will admit that it's a bit of a chore to make as you have to cook the rice and the chicken (separately) first and then chop up a bunch of veggies, and I've never used more chicken broth at once in a recipe ever, but it's totally worth it, trust me. Well, and then there's the fact that it's got a whole stick of butter and two cups of half and half in it, so.... So you know it's super delicious, that's what that means! You can make it vegetarian by leaving the chicken out and using veggie broth and it would easily be just as good. There are plenty of veggies in it, and veggies are good for you. Am I selling this or are you getting scared?! So clear your calendar for next Saturday afternoon and whip up a vat of this stuff (and it does make a vat, we have so much of it leftover - good thing I love it). Enjoy!

Wild Rice Soup

1 1/2 cups wild rice
8 cups chicken broth
4 cups chicken broth
(that's about equal to THREE boxes of Swanson's)
1 tsp. thyme, dried
1 tsp. salt
3 bay leaves
1 med. onion, chopped fine
1 tsp. black pepper
1 cup celery, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry sherry (important, don't skip)
1/2 cup carrot, chopped
2 cups heavy cream, half and half, or whole milk
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 cup flour
2 cups cooked chicken, optional

Rinse wild rice until water is clear. Cook rice in 4 cups of chicken broth with salt over medium heat until rice is tender (approximately 35 minutes).

In a heavy soup pot, saute onion, celery, carrot, and mushrooms in butter (about 5 minutes). Mix in flour and cook over medium heat about 5 more minutes.

Add 8 cups of chicken broth, seasonings, and sherry. Bring to a boil stirring constantly until slightly thickened (about 10 minutes).

Add reserved rice with any remaining cooking liquid and the cream. Cook over low heat about 1 hour.

Adjust seasonings and add curry powder and chicken. Simmer 30 minutes.

Best made one day ahead. May be frozen.