We normally make this soup the day after Thanksgiving, but with turkey and turkey stock. It uses the leftover Wild Rice Casserole which we make extra of just so we can have this soup! The wine (Marco Negri) that is used in this soup is a sweeter white wine. My cousin gave us this wine as a gift about 7 years ago and I am completely puzzled as to how it survived as long as it did without us drinking it.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Chicken Stock, see Recipe
• 3 cups Wild Rice Casserole, see Recipe
• 2 cups diced, cooked Chicken, see Recipe
• 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt , or to taste
• 1 cup White Wine + 1/4 cup
• 1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
• 1 medium Onion, diced
• 3 stalks of Celery, diced
• 2 Carrots, diced
• 1 clove of Garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil

Saute onions, celery, carrots and garlic for 10 minutes over low heat with the olive oil until onions are translucent, not browned.

Add 1 cup of the wine along with the chicken to the pan along with the veggies, and turn the heat up to medium high. Let the alcohol and liquid evaporate for about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken stock, cream, salt and Wild Rice Casserole. Simmer over medium low for 20 minutes.

At the end of the cooking process, if you would like a little more of a pronounced wine flavor add in an extra 1/4 cup of wine.

Chicken stock is a great substitute whenever using water to add flavor. Whether we are making soup or rice, we always like to have homemade chicken stock in the house; you can make extra and put it in the freezer for later use.

Ingredients:

• Whole Fryer Chicken, cut up
• Ends of four Celery Stalks
• Ends of four Carrots
• Onion, quartered
• Bay Leaf
• Water

Note: We usually cut up the remainder of the celery, carrots and another onion to set aside for later use (chicken soup, etc.).

Lightly salt and pepper chicken and cook it in a 350 degree oven for approximately one hour or until done. Let cool, discard skin and remove chicken from bones for later use.

Add bones, celery, carrots, onion, bay leaf and water (as much as you want, at least enough to cover all ingredients) to stock pot – note that the size of the stock pot all depends on how much stock you want to make. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, but hot enough to have a very low boil. Heat stock for at least two hours – the longer you have it on the heat, the more flavorful your stock will be. Strain the stock and refrigerate, as the fat will naturally rise to the top and you can skim it off for a very low-fat, healthy stock.

For freezing, we put the stock in ice cube trays until it is set, then seal it.