Turkey Wild Rice Soup

 

1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, diced
2 carrots, diced
1/2 C butter
1/2 C all purpose flour
4 C chicken or turkey broth
2 C light cream
2 1/2 C precooked long grain wild rice
2 C cooked turkey or chicken, diced
1 t dried parsley
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper

In a large kettle or dutch oven, sauté the onion, celery, and carrots in butter until the onion is transparent.  Reduce the heat.  Blend in flour and cook until bubbly.  Gradually add chicken broth, stirring constantly.  Bring to boil and continue to boil for one minute.  Reduce heat and add cream, wild rice, turkey, parsley, salt and pepper.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  Yields 8 servings.

Notes: I used normal white rice, but wild would be nummy.  I just used leftover dark meat turkey from Thanksgiving.  I also used half and half because I had some left over.  Normal milk, or whole would be good too.  This is a thick soup.  If you're serving it with breadsticks or rolls I would thin with more milk for dipping the bread. 

Butternut Squash Soup

1/4 C butter
2 1/2 C leeks, chopped
2 lbs butternut squash, peeled and chopped
5 C chicken broth
1/2 C canned milk (or normal milk)
pinch salt
pinch pepper
toasted pine nuts (optional)

In large stock pot, melt butter and add leeks.  Cook until soft, but not brown.  Add squash and enough chicken stock to just cover the squash.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes until squash is tender.  Puree softened squash and leeks in a blender until very smooth.  Add remaining chicken stock, milk, salt and pepper to taste, and serve with sprinkle of pine nuts.  Yields 8

Notes:  Surprisingly delicious, just a hint of squashy taste.  (but I love butternut squash) Thin soup but very filling.  I would even recommend using it as a base to other vegetable soups.  You could add broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, bacon, sour cream, shredded chicken, etc.  Would be  a good alternative base for other "white sauce" soups.