Chicken Rice Soup

Soup Chicken Rice

Breast meat of 1 roasted chicken, coarsely chopped
2 48 oz cartons fat free, low sodium chicken broth
8 tall stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1 cup uncooked rice or orzo
1/4 t celery salt
2 t dill
1/2 Tbs ground pepper
May add 3 sliced carrots. If so, cook with celery and rice in beginning.

Pour both cartons of chicken broth into a large stock pot.
Bring to a boil.
When broth boils turn to medium low.
Add the chopped celery and rice.
Turn to low and simmer for 25 minutes, until rice is tender.
Add the chopped chicken.
Adjust with more chicken broth if needed.
Turn heat off and allow to stand 5 minutes until chicken is heated through.

Serves 8.

Of course this is simple and everyone makes chicken soup in the winter, but I felt like sharing anyway.  On cold and rainy Sundays, like yesterday, I often make a triple recipe and freeze it in small containers.  That way I am always prepared when I hear someone is a tad under the weather.  I suppose my extra impetus yesterday was wishing that I could teleport it to my daughter, son in law, and grandson in Boston where they were dealing with the 22″ snowfall!!

Corn Chowder

Soups Mexican Corn Chowder demitasse

4 Tbs butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 t minced garlic
2 cups Half and Half
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 regular size cans cream style corn
1/2 t Tabasco sauce
1 t ground cumin
3 T chopped fresh cilantro

Melt butter in soup pot.
Add onion and garlic and sauté 10 minutes.
Add all other ingredients except cilantro.
Cook on low heat, stirring often, 15 minutes.
Stir in 2 Tbs cilantro and garnish with additional cilantro after serving.

*May add 4.5 oz can chopped green chilies, undrained if you desire a “kick”.
May add few kernels of corn, chopped avocado, and chopped cilantro for garnish.
Serves 16 as an appetizer in demitasse.