Slow Cooker Chicken & Wild Rice Soup with Quick Drop Biscuits

I'm not a winter person. I was born and raised in Utah where it's cold and snowy (I know, there are worse places). So I was ecstatic when I met and married someone who, although he was from Utah also, didn't like the cold or the snow either (or sports!!). Yay for me!
But I do admit I do like some cold weather things- sweaters, fires, and soup. I LOVE soup. This recipe for Chicken & Wild Rice soup comes from a family cookbook my cute sister-in-law put together for us a couple of years ago. I love slow cooker recipes that don't require any pre-cooking. I used some leftover cooked chicken breast from the other night, but I have also used store-bought rotisserie chicken. The soup comes together in no time and is loved by my family (especially my kids). Paired with Cooking Light's Drop Biscuits, this meal makes me feel like it's winter (even though it was sunny and 67 today). :)

Slow Cooker Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
adapted from Shauna Williams
Ingredients
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 (4.3-ounce) package Long Grain & Wild Rice (Rice A Roni)
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced cooked chicken breast
3 cups water


Combine soup, rice, vegetables and chicken in a slow cooker. Add 2 cups of water. Mix well. Cook on high for 3 1/2 hours. Stir in remaining cup of water and cook another 1/2 hour. Serve.


Drop Biscuits
adapted from Cooking Light
Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold butter, cut in pieces
1 cup skim milk
Cooking spray


Preheat over to 450 degrees F. Spray a standard muffin tin with cooking spray.
In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in butter pieces until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Ad milk, stirring only until moist. Spoon into muffin tins. Bake 12 minutes, until golden.

Quick Chicken Noodle Soup

The ultimate comfort food, chicken noodle soup is something I've missed the past couple years. Small children, in our family, are not fans of soup. But recently, our oldest daughter has taken to eating soup, and our younger daughter likes to do the same things as her sister. Voila! Soup eaters!
I found this recipe in a recent issue of Cooking Light. I made it a little differently, but it still came together easily and quickly and was really flavorful. I substituted boneless chicken breast for the rotisserie chicken and didn't use pre-chopped veggies. This is a great quick recipe for an old favorite!
Quick Chicken Noodle Soup
adapted from Cooking Light

• 2 cups water
• 3/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 1 large, or 2 small)
  
• 1 (32-ounce) carton fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 6 ounces macaroni pasta (or whatever pasta you want)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Combine 2 cups water and chicken breast in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer on medium until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken and shred, reserving liquid.

2. Add broth to liquid and keep over low heat.

3. Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion, celery, salt, pepper, and carrot; sauté 3 minutes or until almost tender, stirring frequently. Add hot broth mixture and pasta; bring to a boil. Cook 7 minutes or until pasta is almost al dente. Stir in chicken; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Stir in parsley.

Chili and Cheddar Cheese Drop Biscuits

I know all of you who don't live in warm climates will not think this is winter, but it's been raining and in the 50's and 60's where we live- it feels like winter! :)
Soups and chili are my favorite thing to have when it gets (relatively) cold so I made our first chili of the winter season. This is my go-to chili recipe. It's easy and fast and my family loves it. I'll warn you that it's not gourmet by any means, which is why it's so wonderful! Paired with these cheddar cheese biscuits, it's a great meal to warm you up! (sorry there are no pics of the chili; I thought I had already posted the recipe!)

Favorite Chili
serves 4-6
1 lb lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 16 oz. can kidney beans, undrained
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 pkg chili seasoning
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t dried basil
for serving:
sour cream
shredded cheese

Brown ground beef in a medium pot. Drain fat and add onions and garlic. Cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, seasoning and dried herbs. Bring to a boil and simmer on med-low for 10-15 minutes. Top with sour cream and cheese.

Cheddar Cheese Drop Biscuits
adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 t cream of tartar
3 T butter
1 c milk
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cream of tartar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add milk all at once. Using a fork, stir just until moistened. Stir in cheese.

2. Using a large spoon, drop dough into 12 mounds onto a greased baking sheet.

3. Place biscuits 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until golden. Remove biscuits from baking sheet and serve warm.

Pumpkin Chili with Homemade Cornbread

In the pumpkin frenzy that's happening while my husband's out of town, I made pumpkin chili last weekend when I thought maybe it was going to be fall (the temperature was a chilly 71 degrees)! The pumpkin added a zesty orange color and just a hint of warm pumpkin flavor in the background.
With homemade cornbread drizzled with honey, it was the perfect fall dinner (never mind that it was 85 degrees the next day)!

Pumpkin Chili

1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 16-oz can kidney beans, undrained
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 14-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 14-oz can tomato sauce
1 package chili seasoning
1 bay leaf
Water

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown ground beef; drain. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion and garlic are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil. Turn down heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes (add water if chili gets dry).