Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup and Cranberry Orange Nut Bread

Joesph Bruchac is of Abenaki Indian and Slovak descent. He is one of America's most respected and widely published Native American authors and poets. His birth date is October 16. Bruchac's poem is reflected in this autumn scene with yellow tamaracks.

"In the Moon of Falling Leaves"

by Joseph Bruchac

I was born in the Moon of Falling Leaves,
that time when summer's harvest
falls from every maple tree,
painting the forest trails
golden as sunlight
and crimson as Great Bear's blood.

Each October brings back the scent
of fires burning on the hills,
the first etchings of frost
on my bedroom windows,
the departing wings
of a thousand geese
cutting the clear cold sky.

There is no time closer to my heart,
than this season of changes
when the balance tips between
darkness and light,
when the last flowers
nod in our garden,
when so many things
are about to end,
so many about to begin.

  

Warm up with a bowl of Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup. Enjoy a slice of Cranberry Orange Nut Bread, the perfect complement.  

Cook's Notes: The recipe serves 4. It will thicken on the second day because of the rice, use some chicken broth to thin out the soup.  The recipe was made in a large fry pan with high sides. Then I transferred it over to a soup pot for serving. As a timesaver make the wild rice the day before, refrigerate and use a rotisserie chicken.  

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked chicken or turkey
• 3 cups cooked wild rice 
• 4 slices of cooked bacon, drained and crumbled
• 1 cup each diced carrots, celery and mushrooms
• 3/4 cup diced onions
• 1-1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 carton low sodium chicken broth (32 oz.) 
• 2 cups half and half
• 1/8 teaspoon each curry and marjoram 
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon each dried parsley flakes and herbes de Provence
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup apple juice or cider
• Salt and pepper as needed

Directions:

• Cook bacon until crisp and set aside on a paper towel lined plate.
• Leave 1 teaspoon bacon drippings in fry pan. Saute carrots celery, onions for 3 minutes, then cover for 4 more minutes to steam. 
• Push sautéed mixture to the side and wipe pan clean from bacon drippings. 
• Melt butter, add in flour to coat veggies, stir fry 2 minutes. 
• Add in broth, half and half, spices, apple juice, white wine, rice and chicken. On a low heat uncovered, cook until soup thickens about 40 minutes and veggies are softened. Do not let soup boil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Cranberry Orange Nut Bread

Cook's Notes: Recipe previously posted. Makes one large loaf. 

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2019/10/cranberry-orange-nut-bread.html