Soup and Pie

Sunday my Mom told us she was making Ham Wild Rice soup, we were quick to jump on that, as it is a wonderful recipe. So we went down last night for soup, I was asked to bring a dessert and decided on Coconut Cream Pie. It was a great dinner!

Wild Rice Soup (My Mom's Recipe)

• 6 Tbsp. butter
• 1 Tbsp. minced onion
• 1/2 c. flour
• 2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans chicken broth
• 2 c. cooked wild rice
• 1/2 c. finely grated carrots
• 1/3 c. minced ham or 1/2 c. cooked chicken
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. chopped silvered almonds
• 1 c. half and half
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Snipped parsley or chives for garnish

1) In a large saucepan, melt butter and saute onion until tender. Blend in flour and then gradually add broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and boil for 1 minute.

2) Stir in wild rice, carrots, ham (or chicken), almonds, and salt. Simmer about 5 minutes, blend in half and half and heat to serving temperature. If too thick, you may thin with chicken broth.

3) Garnish with snipped parsley or chives.

***Tips, we made this recipe about 1 1/2 times, we had one bowl left over with 4 people eating it, we also didn't garnish with parsley we garnished with a few almonds.


Coconut Cream Pie (Kraft Foods)

• 2 cups cold milk
• 2 pkgs. vanilla instant pudding
• 1 c. coconut
• 2 c. cool-whip
• 1 pie crust (Recipe called for graham cracker, I used regular)

Pour milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes and 3/4 c. of coconut. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes. Gently stir in 1 c. of whipped topping. Pour into crust.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until set.

Spread pie with remaining 1 c. whipped topping. Toast remaining 1/4 c. coconut, if desired. Sprinkle over pie. store leftover pie in refrigerator.

*To Toast Coconut: Preheat oven to 350. Spread coconut in shallow baking pan. Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently.