Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

First of all, we have a cover reveal!

This is the cover for my next Love Inspired Historical, coming out in March 2018. This story is one that practically wrote itself. I loosely based the hero 's character on my grandfather. Since he passed away before I was born, I never met him. But I knew his story, and I've read some of the diaries he kept as a young man. I love this story, and I hope you do, too! It's available for pre-order from Amazon. Just click here. :)

Now, on to the recipe. Today I'm sharing a copycat recipe.

What's a copycat recipe? That's where a talented person takes your favorite dish from your favorite restaurant and re-creates it for the home cook. Most of these recipes are close to the restaurant original. Not quite the same, but they do help satisfy cravings!

Several years ago, I shared a copycat recipe from Olive Garden...I still love this soup! You can find the recipe here.

Today, I'm sharing a copycat from another one of my favorite restaurants - Panera.

When we first moved here, the closest Panera was a 5 1/2 hour drive away. :(  But now there's one less than 10 minutes from my house! It doesn't get much better than that. :)

Except that going out for lunch every day is a bit spendy, both in time and in cash, so I like having this soup waiting for me in the freezer.

I make this soup in my Instant Pot, but I'm including "top of the stove" directions, too!

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

ingredients:

1/2 cup finely diced carrots

1/2 cup finely diced celery

1/4 cup finely diced onion

1 Tablespoon oil or butter - I use coconut oil, but you can use your favorite

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

32 ounces broth - chicken or vegetable

2 cups water

2 cups milk - divided

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried organo

1 bay leaf

2 cups cooked, diced chicken

1/3 cup flour

1 box (approx. 6 ounces) Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice, original 

salt and pepper to taste

On the Stove:

In a six-quart Dutch oven or 6-8 quart stock pot, saute the onions, carrots, celery in the oil or butter over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.

Add the garlic, broth, water and 1 cup of milk and stir.

Add the pepper, oregano, bay leaf, and chicken.

Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes.

Whisk together the remaining 1 cup milk and the 1/3 cup flour. Add to the soup and stir until combined.

Add the long grain and wild rice, with the seasoning packet, to the soup and let simmer until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

In the Instant Pot:

If you don't have cooked diced chicken, you can use your Instant Pot to cook it quickly. Place 1 or 2 (depending on size) frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the Instant Pot with one cup of the broth. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes, and use the natural pressure release (15 to 20 minutes more). Remove the chicken and reserve the broth in a separate bowl.

Put the tablespoon of oil in the Instant Pot and use the saute setting to cook the onions, carrots and celery until the onion is translucent.

Add the garlic, broth, water, and 1 cup milk and mix.

Add the pepper, dried oregano, bay leaf, and diced chicken. Seal the Instant Pot and pressure cook on low for 5 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally (5-10 minutes). Once the pressure is released, change the setting to slow cook until 20-30 minutes before serving.

Before serving, whisk the 1/3 cup flour into the second cup of milk and add to the soup. Add the long grain and wild rice with the seasoning packet, and stir. Cook on low saute for 20 minutes . Add salt and pepper to taste.


If you've been reading carefully, you'll notice that in this recipe the Instant Pot requires more steps and can take longer to cook. So what is the advantage? For me, it's the ability to switch from saute, to pressure cook, to slow cook, and back to saute. This means that I can start the soup when I have time (in the morning, during lunch, or during my afternoon break), and then finish it up just before supper.

And when I'm on a deadline, that versatility is golden!!!


Speaking of deadlines, my current one is in nine days. I won't even tell you how many words I have left to go! But I am on target, and should finish in time.

But writing is hard work, and I'm sure the other authors here at the Cafe will agree with me! After a long day at the computer, my little gray cells are begging for relief.

For me, the best cure for my overworked brain is counted cross stitch. After a day of taxing my creativity, counted cross stitch allows me to use someone else's ideas, someone else's design. I don't have to think. I just follow directions.

This is one of my current projects. An hour spent lost in these colors refreshes and recharges my creativity like nothing else!

And what will this beautiful piece look like when if it gets done?

To learn more about this design, go to A Stitching Shelf

I have finished three pages out of the 184 pages in this design. If you look carefully, you can see the three pages I've done in the top left-hand corner. Call me crazy. My husband says I'll never finish it, and he might be right. At my stitching pace it takes me about two months to do one page. Do the math. I won't finish this until I'm ninety years old.

So why do I do this???

It's the process. Tiny stitches, one at a time, add up to make a beautiful design and recharges my creative energy for another day of writing.

And I do have hope that my stitching speed will increase. A lot of people can finish a page in a week or two!

To get a glimpse of why this style of counted cross stitch has become such an addiction for me, visit the Heaven and Earth Designs website, http://heavenandearthdesigns.com/ But beware. You just might find a design you can't live without!

What is your favorite way to recharge your creative energy?

Jan Drexler lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband and growing family. When she isn't writing, she loves hiking in the Hills or satisfying her cross stitch addiction.

You can find Jan on Facebook, Jan Drexler, author, or her website, Jan Drexler.com.

Jan's Copycat Pasta Salad

It just isn't summer without a good pasta salad, is it?

Or maybe I feel that way because my husband and I set up housekeeping in the 80's...and that's so last century!

We remember the 80's, right? When everyone was talking about Princess Di and Prince William instead of Kate Middleton and Prince George? When we thought men looked good in pink shirts? When we were so happy those 70's fashions were behind us? When every restaurant, including KFC, had a salad bar?

And when no one even thought of showing up at a family or church get-together without a pasta salad!

Pasta salads are still pretty popular, especially on restaurant salad bars. There's one restaurant that still has a huge salad bar - Ruby Tuesday - and I adore it! And my favorite salad on their spread? Their famous pasta salad, of course!

For some reason, my husband doesn't want to head off to the restaurant every time I get a craving for their pasta salad, so I've come up with my own version.

It's perfect for family and church get-togethers all summer long.

Jan's Copycat Pasta Salad

ingredients:

1 lb box rotini pasta (or your favorite pasta shape)
1 cup ranch dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons horseradish sauce (or 1/2 teaspoon grated horseradish)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 green pepper, diced (optional if you're like me and green peppers don't agree with you)
2 Tablespoons diced red onion
2 cups ham, cut into 1/2" cubes
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (the kind in the green can)

At this point, I realized that I had forgotten to take pictures of this recipe! You'll just have to let your imagination illustrate the process!

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and rinse the pasta in cold water - you want to chill it down as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the ranch dressing, mayo, horseradish sauce, salt, and pepper. Add the green pepper, onion, ham and peas, and stir to combine.

Add the cooled and drained pasta, and stir again.

Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Just before serving, stir in the 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

All that's left is to enjoy your throwback to the 80's!


Meanwhile, we're still enjoying spring here in the Black Hills.

Because this happened:

We planted this cherry tree a few years ago. The first year it bloomed beautifully, but I let the birds eat all the cherries (aka, I didn't get them protected in time). Last year we had a late freeze...no cherries. But this year, well, we'll see if the birds get all the fruit again. I can't really complain. We planted it mainly to attract birds to our yard!

And then this happened:

The Holt Medallion Contest finalists were announced over the weekend, and Mattie is on the list!!! I'm so happy for this favorite heroine of mine. :)

And our own Cate Nolan shared a picture of Mattie at her local Barnes & Noble! She sure is traveling!

Don't forget that the e-book versions of both Hannah's Choice and Mattie's Pledge are on sale, just in time to catch up with the series before Naomi's Hope releases on June 6th! Go to my website, www.JanDrexler.com, for links to your favorite on-line retailer.


So, let's chat! It's throwback time! What is your favorite memory from the 80's?

Starbucks Copycat Low Calorie Strawberry Cream and Lemon Chiller Drinks- and FREE BOOK!

Hi, everybody! This is a repeat post from July 2014 (that was my year for good recipes, apparently) and it's become a favorite in my house!

But first I have to share this picture of our kitty cat. I honestly didn't know if he was enjoying the sun or was a victim of a terrible tricycle accident. :O

So, going back to 2014 now, at the time of the original post, we were in the middle of a heat wave. I can happily say we have gorgeous weather as I type this, and when this post airs, we should be at the beach, so I'm betting it will NOT be 104F the second time around... but I could be wrong!
Without further ado...

I got this great cookbook at the library. The author battled diabetes and other health issues so she tries to take the most popular recipes and remake them several different ways. Each recipe has about four or five alternatives, whether you're cutting fat, sodium, sugar or carbs. I loved this idea! I don't have a problem with sugar, but I would love to cut unnecessary fat from my diet, so I thought I'd try some of the recipes and see if they were as good as they looked.

BUT this happened: record-setting temps all week. 107 on Thursday but some said 109F unofficially. I figure anything past 100 is officially whatever you want to call it because we're all melting and nobody's going to be around to argue.

 So I decided to make some of the drinks in the book. The first one is called "Luscious Lemon Slim Smoothie".
1/3 cup low fat milk
1 TBS instant sugar free lemon pudding mix
1/3 cold water
1/3 Greek yogurt (non fat)
 2 tsp lemon juice
1 cup ice

 I got out the ninja, but you can use a blender. This entire process took about 3 minutes, start to finish. Definitely doing this for refreshments when we have guests!
Add the milk and pudding mix together, and let sit for one minute. Then add all the other ingredients.

 I wasn't really sure how this would taste, since I'm not big on sugar free products. They always have an odd flavor to me. But this was delicious! Light, cool, lemony, and very filling.

 Of course, always better with some whipped topping and a few blueberries. The kids split one and I gave the other to hubby. He said it was "savroso". I told him to hold on, I was still testing recipes. He was in the garden, so he just handed me back the jar and went back to work.

Nutritional information: 100 calories, carbs 14, fat 1.5, protein 10g, sodium 350mg

 The next recipe is apparently copied from a famous Starbucks recipe. We have one but I don't often go there, so I haven't tried the original. What I know is that this one IS DELICIOUS.

1/2 cup nonfat milk
1/4 cup nonfat half-and-half
2/3 cup frozen strawberries (about 6)
3 TBS sugar (or substitute)
1/2 cup crushed ice

 Place all ingredients together and blend.

 I was really surprised at how "strawberry" this was. I thought since they were frozen, it would turn out like a lot of strawberry ice chunks, but I think the half-and-half brings out the creamy flavor.

 For me, this was closest to a real treat. Rich and flavorful, like a milkshake but not as heavy. Again, kids shared some and I took the rest to hubby. He said, "delicioso". I told him to just wait... there was more.

Nutritional info: 150 calories, 25 carbs, fat 1.5 g, protein 7g, fiber 2g sodium 65mg
In comparison, the real Starbucks version has 380 calories, 15 g of fat, and 57 carbs!

 The next recipe was Mocha Fudge Mudslide Milkshake. This took a few ingredients I didn't have but I think I can use the sliced almonds in another batch of granola, so I figured it wouldn't be too expensive to try. If it didn't work out, I'd just stick to regular milkshakes!

2 tsp sugar free hot fudge topping
2/3 cup low fat milk
1 tbs vanilla sugar free instant pudding mix
2 tsp instant coffee
2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup no sugar addeded or light ice cream
2/3 cup ice

 First, wipe the hot fudge up the inside of the glasses. Put them in the fridge to chill.
Combine the milk and the pudding mix, blend, and then let it sit for 1 minute.
Add all other ingredients and then blend until thick and creamy. Carefully pour into the glasses and top with whipped topping and almonds if desired.

 These definitely were tasty-looking. But would they pass the Munoz taste-test??

Apparently, the answer is YES. They were devoured, and I had to make more. My kids decided that this was the best dinner they'd ever had and they wanted it to be 109F every single DAY. (Forgive them, they know not what they wish for.)

Nutritonal info: calories 205, carbs 35, fat 4.5, protein 8, fiber 4, sodium 480mg

My personal favorite was the lemon chiller. The cookbook author also gives several different flavor ideas made from the same "starter" of instant pudding mix, low fat milk and yogurt. I have some strawberry pudding so I might try that and see if it's as refreshing. For a 100 calories, it sure beats a popsicle on a hot day.

Now, before I go, I thought I'd share a few pics of my kids. Every year on their birthday (which most were born in the summer- no cracks about keeping warm, I've heard them all, haha) we open their baby boxes.

 My soon-to-be 13 year old's Sunday dress might not fit her anymore.
                                                         
Just for giggles, here's her birth announcement in the paper. Yikes.

 The four year old's foot is still chubby, but these shoes aren't going to fit at all.

 My 11 year old's first tshirt is wayyyy too tiny.

My nine year old says, "Ugh, do I have to?"

But I think my fourteen year old wins. She was a preemie who had colic and screamed for the first three months of her life. She weighed 5 lbs 11 oz and was 18 inches long, now she's taller than I am.

And here are her size 11 feet and her baby booties. That's my baby! Time does fly... and I'm so very grateful for the health and well-being of all my children. 

Now, if they'd just clean their rooms...

EDIT June 2016: Awwwww, my babies are so little! It's amazing how much they grew in just a few years. What a fun stroll into the not-so-distant past.

My book A Star To Steer By is also free from the 24th through the 29th. It's one of my favorite books!

Here's the blurb:

Roxie Sunshine Hardy is perfectly happy living in Philadelphia, far away from her hometown. Growing up as a chubby nerd obsessed with classic literature, Roxie finally feels like she’s found her place in the world. She’s kept her full name a secret and has never, ever, ever told a single soul how she spent her high school years. People might think growing up in a family bakery is delightful, but Roxie knows the reality. Spending countless sweaty afternoons inside Sunshine Bakery’s big, pink foam cupcake costume is the stuff of her nightmares. 

Those terrible days are behind her now, but when her family needs her, Roxie decides to return to Natchitoches. She assures herself that it’s only for a few weeks, and there isn’t a snowball’s chance in Dante’s Inferno that she’ll have to get into that cupcake suit. 

Moving from New York City to Natchitoches shouldn’t be a problem for Andy McBride. The slower pace, Creole culture, and friendly locals make up for the lack of any good Thai take-out. But Andy hasn’t counted on how much he’d miss his brother, Mark. He can’t uproot Mark from his group home for the mentally disabled back in New York, so Andy tries to go on as usual. To everyone else, including his fascinating neighbor from Philly, he’s living the carefree life of a wealthy bachelor, but Andy is haunted by the knowledge that Mark might not be around for much longer. 

When an unlikely friendship blossoms with Sunshine Bakery’s anonymous dancing cupcake, Andy decides to stop pretending to be someone he’s not. He learns seizing the day isn’t just for poets, and life is too short to be without the people you love. A story of family, loyalty, and a true love that can’t be disguised, A Star to Steer By will warm your heart. 

Be sure to drop by my author page at Mary Jane Hathaway, or my other author page at Virginia Carmichael, or my blog at The Things That Last! All my newest book news and musings is there, including anything else that strikes my fancy!