Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Soup - rich and hardy!

Photo by Cris

Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Soup
shared by Cris Watson

This is a rich, hardy soup that's great for a cold day!

Makes about 6 servings.

4 cups cooked chicken, pulled apart or cubed  (leftover baked or rotisserie chicken works great)
2 cups chopped, frozen broccoli
3/4 cup uncooked rice
1 ½ cups Half & Half (or equal amount of skim or whole milk)
2 ½ cups water
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
McCormick's Montreal Chicken Seasoning   *
4 tablespoons cornstarch *
1 to 2 cubes of Chicken Bouillon *

         * If using a dry Chicken gravy, omit the cornstarch and limit the bouillon and seasoning.
Also, if using the broth from the cooked chicken or the rotisserie chicken, add everything and let it simmer together a few minutes and taste it.  If you don't have the rich chicken flavor you want, you can add some of the seasoning or bouillon to suit your taste.

1. Put just the water in a large pot and bring it to a boil.

2. Add the seasoning and bouillon.

3. Reduce heat to medium and add the frozen broccoli, chicken, and uncooked rice and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.  The rice will determine how long you need to cook this; check a few pieces of rice after 15 minutes to see if it is done enough.  If it isn't, simmer a another 10 to 15 minutes.

4. If you are using a dry chicken gravy mix, add it to the Half & Half and stir to dissolve the powder.  If you are NOT using the dry chicken gravy mix, add the cornstarch to the cold Half & Half and stir until dissolved.

5. Slowly stir the Half & Half into the hot soup mixture.

6. Cook over low heat for about 5 to 7  minutes to allow the gravy or cornstarch to thicken the broth.

7. If the soup is too thick, you can add a little more Half & Half or water to get the constancy you want.

Serve hot with crackers, warm toast, biscuits, or cornbread.

This soup can be made ahead of time, cooled and put in the refrigerator.  It will thicken when it cools.  When you are ready to serve it, add a little water or Half & Half if necessary and re-heat. 

NOTE: the Half & Half will make the soup rich.  If you don't want the soup to be rich, use whole or skim milk.

Free clip art courtesy of Dover Publishing

Rice Krispie Treats - the Originals and some Great Variations!

This easy and delicious recipe makes about 24 2 inch treats.  Here is the original version of the recipe.  My sister-in-law, Tina, does great variations on the original and I have listed some of her favorites at the end.    Cris 


Rice Krispie Treats - the Original

You will need a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan that has been coated with butter or sprayed with cooking spray.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
1 10 oz. Package (about 40) marshmallows, or
              4 cups miniature marshmallows
5 cups Rice Krispies cereal


Directions:

1.     In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat.

2.     Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted.

3.     Using a buttered spatula or wax paper, evenly press mixture into the pan.

4.     Cool.

5.     Cut into 2-inch squares.


Tina's Variations:     

This batch has blue sprinkles added.

1.     Substitute the Rice Krispies cereal with any other ready-to-eat cereal: frosted corn flakes, chocolate puffs, fruit-flavored loops, plain or honey Cheery-O's,  

2,     You can use multi-colored mini-marshmallows instead of the white ones.

3.     You can add 1 ½ cups mini-chocolate chips or 1 cup chopped walnuts (or both!).

4.     Before cutting, sprinkle top with Red and Green Crystals for a Christmas feel or multi-colored sprinkles for a birthday party theme.

5,     For Christmas treats: add a few drops of peppermint flavoring to the mixture.  Before cutting, sprinkle the top with crushed candy canes.  Gently press the crushed candy cane pieces into the treats.

6,     To make a Christmas Tree:
                Add green food coloring to the mixture and the entire batch pressed into a Christmas Tree shaped cake baking pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.  Turn the treat-tree out onto a platter and decorate the tree with M&M for balls and pipe icing tree trim on the branches.

Free Clip Art