Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

A hearty filling soup-comfort food to warm you up . . . great for a family or crowd!

2 14 1/2 ounce cans chicken broth
1/2 cup celery, sliced
1/3 cup leek or green onions, sliced
2 Tablespoons margarine or butter
1 cup half and half milk
1 cup carrots, sliced (may use canned to speed things up)
1/3 cup wild rice, uncooked
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped (bite size pieces)

In a saucepan, mix broth, carrots, celery, uncooked rice, leek (or onion), thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Cover, simmer 50 minutes or until rice is tender.
Melt margarine or butter. Stir in flour, then stir in half & half. Cook and stir 1-minute more. Slowly add half & half mixture to rice mixture, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken; heat through. Best when served immediately or same day. (Next day it separates a bit and has some condensation that can be resolved by re-warming it.) Toppings like chives, bacon or cheese can be added, but are not necessary. The soup stands on its own fine without them.