veto on the ground beef

Do any of you just get so tired of the same old dinners every night? The same, old reliables? Tacos.....spaghetti....chicken and rice.....tacos......tacos...........and more TACOS?!!!

I was sitting down Sunday night racking my brain trying to figure out something new and exciting to make for dinner this week. Sunday is sort of my "weekly planning" night. I sit down with my weeks schedule in front of me, make sure everything is on it, including meals so I can write out the grocery list. And I just couldn't bring myself to write down "ground beef" this week. Blah.

Lo and Behold......a new recipe that my family loves. Found in a random cookbook I've had for years. Easy. Yummy. Uses a rotisserie chicken (um, yum!) Put some rustic bread with it and a fruit, and it feeds the family for days. Yeah!

Here's my new little friend:

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

1 package Uncle Ben's Wild Rice Mix (prepared as directed)

1/2 small onion, chopped

4 T. butter

1/3 c. flour

5 c. chicken broth

1/4 tsp. salt

2 c. cooked chicken, rotisserie is best, cubed

1 1/2 c. half & half (oh yeah!)

optional: sauteed mushrooms

Cook rice according to package. In sauce pot, saute onion in butter until tender. Blend in flour and stir, making a rue. Turn off heat, gradually add broth. Stir constantly. Mixture will thicken slightly. Stir in rice, salt and chicken, simmer 5 minutes (turn heat back on). Blend in half and half, stirring. Heat for about 10 minutes. Serves about 6. I doubled the recipe, so I used the entire rotisserie chicken. If you don't double the recipe, you'll use about half of the chicken. You can add sauteed mushrooms in with the onions in the beginning if you want.

We have literally been eating on this for 3 days. It's even better the next day. It is DELICIOUS. I bought some rustic artisan bread at the Store and slathered some butter on......soooo good! Try it! I'll be keeping my eyes open for some new additions to add to my weekly routine.....