Wild Rice Soup and Corn Meal Cresant Rolls

So. Yum. One of my favorite soups has got to be creamy chicken and wild rice. It's delicious.
The weather lately has been kind of moody. One day it will be really nice in the high 50's with clear skies, no breeze, etc. Then all of a sudden this cold front comes in and the wind picks up and I regret not bringing my coat to school as my hair flies in a million directions...

I've recently discovered the soup recipe from this lovely blog. Bonus for it being a crock pot recipe that I don't have to worry about. :D

The soup:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup uncooked wild rice
• 1 pound chicken breasts
• 2 cups mirepoix
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• ½ cup butter
• ¾ cup flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• a few tablespoons white wine (optional)
• up to 2 cups additional milk or water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Rinse the wild rice. Place the uncooked wild rice, raw chicken, mirepoix, chicken broth, and poultry seasoning in a crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. The chicken should be cooked through and the rice should be soft. There will be extra liquid in the crockpot; do not drain.
2. Remove the chicken breasts from the crockpot and allow to cool slightly. Using two forks, shred the chicken. Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot.
3. When rice and chicken are done cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and let the mixture bubble for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the whole milk until a thick, creamy mixture forms. Stir in the wine.
4. Add this to the rice and chicken in the crockpot and stir to combine. Add extra water or milk to adjust the consistency as you like it. Season with additional salt and pepper.

NOTES

The poultry seasoning is a mix of several things, including thyme and sage. Even though it’s only a teaspoon, do not omit this because it adds a lot of the flavor. If you don’t have any, just use any other herb seasonings that you like. Thyme and sage are the best in my opinion.

 

 

 

Now. The rolls. I got from Mel. This woman has the most amazing recipes. Nothing I have tried has failed me. These rolls? To die for. 

 

Note: if you need/want to use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, change the amount of yeast to 2 tablespoons active dry and dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let the yeast mixture activate and foam (approximately 5 minutes) before adding it to the cornmeal mixture with the butter and 1/3 cup sugar.

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• 2/3 cup yellow corn meal
• 1 ½ tablespoons instant yeast
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 5 ½ – 6 cups flour (see note)

Directions

1. Heat the milk to just below a boil so bubbles are just appearing around the edges (this is called scalding milk). Add the cornmeal and cook and stir until thickened, lowering the temperature if needed so the mixture doesn’t boil (see picture below the recipe for an idea of what the consistency should be). Pour the cornmeal/milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl and let cool until lukewarm. Add the yeast, butter and sugar (if you dissolved active dry yeast with a bit of water and sugar until it foamed, add it now). Mix. Add the salt and eggs. Mix well. Add the flour gradually until a soft dough forms. Knead for 5-8 minutes.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl covered with lightly greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled.
3. Divide the dough into three portions and roll each into about an 8-10 inch circle. Brush the top lightly with butter. Cut into 8 wedges and roll each wedge up starting from the wide end so it forms a crescent roll shape. Place each roll on a lightly greased or silpat- or parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 1-2 inches apart to allow for rising. Cover lightly with greased plastic wrap. Let the rolls rise until doubled.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned. Brush with butter while still warm.