Wild Rice Soup

Modified from Betty Crocker's Soup

2 tbsp butter

2 medium stalks celery, sliced [I don't always have celery in the house and a head takes us a long to eat so I often substitute dried celery flakes or dried ground celery seed if I can't think of anything else to use celery in (besides Ray's lunches).]

1 medium, carrot, shredded

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small green bell pepper, chopped

2 tbsp flour

1/4 tsp pepper

1 pouch (10 oz) frozen cooked wild rice (okay, this stuff is impossible to find...if anyone has EVER heard of it I would be surprised...as is canned which this also says to use....so I made wild rice, use 1/2 cup uncooked wild rice and 1 1/4 cups water, bring to a boil then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 40-50 minutes or until tender)

1 cup water

1 can (10 1/2 oz) condensed chicken broth [I think this means undiluted as the water you add dilutes it, but I go back and forth on this...I'm trying to keep notes so I know which way I like better!]

1 cup half and half

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (yeah, right, I used dried, about 2 tsp)

1 cup of cubed cooked chicken (optional - I throw this in if I have leftover chicken in the fridge)

First cook the wild rice if you don't have the frozen stuff (that doesn't exist as far as I'm concerned).

Melt butter in 4 quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook celery, carrot, onion, and bell pepper in butter about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.

Stir in flour and pepper (make sure to cook a minute so the flour doesn't taste yicky...Rachael Ray says so). Stir in wild rice, water and broth. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in half and half and parsley. Heat just until hot (DO NOT BOIL - IT WILL CURDLE!)

Serves 4.