First-Date-Soup

Every time I make (or eat) this soup I am reminded of my very first date with Trent. He asked me to a movie and, in an effort to show him that he found a girl who can be domesticated, I offered to make him dinner beforehand. I chose to make him my favorite soup of all time--my mom's chicken and wild rice soup. So, I made the soup, he came over, and we ate; he really struggled though, as his hand was shaking so bad, he could barely keep hold of his spoon. He blamed his shakes on the excessive drinking he had done the night before (not exactly the kind of thing a girl likes to hear on a first date). About a year later, we were eating this soup again and reminiscing about that date we had so long ago, when he finally told me that it wasn't drinking that caused those shakey hands--it was his nerves! That was his very first "real" date, and given that it was with a catch as great as me ;), he was nervous. Haha!

This is me and Trent about a month after our first date. Not the greatest picture, but it's hard to look good when you've got a giant sombrero on your head. 

Here's how you make that first-date-soup:

Start with a glass of wine (for your pleasure...not the soup).

You will need:
1 package of wild rice (I used Uncle Ben's original)
6 tablespoons margarine
1 medium onion, chopped (if you or your guest does not like onions, add it anyway--you/they will never know)
1/3 cup flour
4 cups chicken broth (or hot water and bouillon)
1/2 cup cooked chicken or ham (or both), cubed--I used two chicken breasts
4 ounces of mushrooms, chopped and drained
1 pint half & half
1/2 cup carrot, finely shredded--I used two carrot sticks
salt and pepper

Step 1: cook your rice

Step 2: while your rice is cooking, melt the margarine in a pan and saute the onion until it's tender.

Step 3: blend in flour and gradually add the broth; cook, stirring until this comes to a boil, and then let it boil for a minute.

Step 4: once your rice is fully cooked, add this, along with your cooked chicken/ham, carrots, mushrooms, and salt. Let this simmer for five minutes.

Step 5: blend in the half & half and heat until warm. Add a generous amount of salt and pepper to taste.


Step 6: EAT!