Wild rice was mentioned in last nite's dinner thread. This is the recipe that I use for Wild Rice Soup. It's delicious, as Patti can also attest.

Wild Rice Soup

6 tablespoons margarine or butter
2-3 tablespoons minced onion
1/2 cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked wild rice
1/2 cup finely grated carrots (I use more)
1 cup minced ham or leftover cooked chicken
3 tablespoons slivered almonds (you can put them in the soup OR toast and top as a garnish)
Salt to taste if you want
1 cup half and half (see note below)
2 tablespoons dry sherry

In large saucepan, melt margarine; saute onion until tender. Blend in flour; gradually add broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil and stir 1 minute.

Stir in rice, carrots, ham, almonds and salt; simmer about 5 minutes. Blend in half and half and sherry; heat to serving temperature. Garnish with snipped parsley or chives.

Sauteed sliced portabella mushrooms are a nice addition to this recipe.
If half n half is too rich or caloric for you feel free to sub in some milk or low fat cream. This recipe is very forgiving and there aren't many substitutions that can ruin it.

Amount: 6 to 7 cups.

Son and his wife enjoy fine dining and discovered a new restaurant named Five and had this as an appetizer. Said it was to die for!

Baked avocado

2 large avocados
1/4 cup crumbled Stilton
1/4 cup walnut halves
1/2 pound pancetta, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut the avocado in half and scoop out the flesh, leaving the skin intact, and roughly dice the avocado. Place avocado in an ovenproof dish, and add the crumbled blue cheese, walnuts, pancetta, and Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the mixture back into the avocado shells and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and place in the broiler for 2 minutes right before serving.

To serve, place on a serving tray with sliced baguette or crackers.

This is on my list to make this week. I think my mother used to make it years ago. At least that seem like I remember.

Frozen Banana Salad

4 mashed bananas
1 can (8-1/2 oz.) crushed pineapple w/juice
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 jar (6 oz.) marachino cherries, drained and quartered
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1 tsp. salt
3/4 c. sugar
16 oz. sour cream
Lettuce

Combine all ingredients except lettuce. Stir well. Pour into a 9" square pan. Freeze until firm. Cut into squares and serve on lettuce.

patti, mother used to freeze hers in individual molds. We generally had that for holidays and so good. I still have her recipe.

Glenda, would you mind sharing if it isn't too much trouble? I don't remember ever having sour cream, but maybe mother just bought it for special recipes.

Here you go!

Frozen fruit salad
2 cups sour cream
1 small can crushed pineapple drained
1 cup sugar
pinch salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tsp red or green cherries, diced
2 tsp lemon juice
2 bananas mashed

A dash of red food coloring
Combine sour cream, lemon juice, sugar, pineapple, banana, and enough food coloring to tint mixture pink. Lightly fold in nuts and cherries. Spoon into fluted paper muffin cups which have been placed in muffin tins. Freeze solid. Remove from muffin tins and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Store in freezer. Thaw about 15 minutes before serving time. Serves 12
To serve, peel off paper cup and place on lettuce leaf

patti, at Christmas, mother would use one tsp each of chopped red and green cherries.