CHEESY HAM 'N' RICE SOUP

Cheesy Ham 'n' Rice Soup image

Here's a real gem! After tasting a similar soup at a popular restaurant in the Twin Cities, I came up with my own version. Everyone who tastes it says it's wonderful. Adding the almonds at the end gives the soup a fun crunch. -Nicole Weir, Hager City, Wisconsin

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Lunch

Time 30m

Yield 12 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

4 celery ribs, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter, cubed
4 medium carrots, shredded
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups half-and-half cream
8 ounces process cheese (Velveeta), cubed
4 cups cooked wild rice
3 cups cubed fully cooked ham
2-2/3 cups cooked brown rice
3 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
8 cups water
Slivered almonds, optional

Steps:

In a large saucepan, saute celery and onion in butter until tender. Add carrots; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes. In a large kettle or Dutch oven, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in cream. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened., Remove from the heat; stir in cheese until melted. Stir in the wild rice, ham, brown rice, bouillon, celery mixture and water. Return to a boil. Sprinkle with almonds if desired.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 341 calories, Fat 16g fat (9g saturated fat), Cholesterol 61mg cholesterol, Sodium 1580mg sodium, Carbohydrate 32g carbohydrate (6g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 16g protein.