the good, the bad and the ugly

the good:  I've FINALLY gotten back enough energy to get back into a regular cooking schedule

the bad:  I've been battling a heck of a cold over the past week and a bit - let me tell you, you don't appreciate cold meds until you're not allowed to have them!

the ugly:  there actually isn't an ugly, it's just that the phrase sounded so incomplete without it ...but, since I tricked you into thinking there was an "ugly," I will instead share a soup recipe that I made while battling said cold - because it was easy and souper yummy...yes, I am that cheesy!  :)

I borrowed the recipe from Sheena, with a few adjustments to suit what I had on hand - it takes some time to cook down to the yummy goodness that it is, but hands on time is SO little and it makes your whole house smell amazing as it simmers away.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

 
a touch of olive oil
1/2 a small onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 ear of corn (kernels cut off with a knife)
1 large carrot, sliced up
1 cup homemade chicken broth (more if you like it on the soupy side)*
2 cups water (more if you like it on the soupy side)*
1 chicken breast (mine was frozen, but thawed works too)
1/2 cup wild rice
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
juice of 1/2 a lemon
S+P, to taste
lemon pepper spice mix, to taste


- heat olive oil in a saucepan then saute onion, garlic, corn and carrots, adding as much S+P as you like
 
- add chicken broth, water, chicken breast, wild rice and spices


- bring to a boil, cover and simmer on medium low for a couple of hours...until the flavors blend and the chicken cooks to fall-apart tenderness!


- serve topped with extra lemon juice and lemon pepper if you like

*I didn't feel like a soupy soup (mine was more of a thick stew) so those are the numbers I used - Sheena's recipe suggests 4 cups broth and 2 - 4 cups water.

PERFECT food for a cold...or cold weather!  :)