Two more from my list of favorites - I'm home sick with "the whirlies", so looking at the computer's a bit rough right now...

SOUP: Mary's Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup ¾ cup wild rice or mix of wild and brown rice (I like Lundberg's fancy brown rice blends)
1½ cup water
1 tsp. salt

2-3 carrots, peeled and chopped

2-3 Tbsp butter or oil
2-3 leeks, washed and chopped; use white and light green sections
1 medium onion, chopped
1- 1½ lb mushrooms, chopped (I use a mix of white, dried shiitake and Portobello)
1 boneless chicken breast, diced
1/3 cup dry sherry
1½ quarts chicken broth

1 cup half-and-half
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the wild rice in salted water for 40-45 min. Pre-cook the carrots 3-5 min. in a little water in the microwave; otherwise they will be very chewy. If using dried shiitakes, soak in boiling water to cover about 10-15 min.; reserve the soaking water for the soup. Discard the tough stems and chop shiitakes into small chunks.

Saute the leeks and onions in butter until limp. Add the chicken and saute until white. Add the chopped mushrooms and saute another 3 min. or so. Stir in the sherry and let simmer for a few minutes. Add broth, mushroom soaking liquid, carrots and coooked rice. (Note: use more or less broth and rice until soup is the desired thickness). Simmer 30 min.

Add cream and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer briefly to heat through - don't let soup boil after adding cream.

MAIN COURSE
Mary's Chicken and Green Chili Stew
1-2 Tbsp. Olive oil
4-5 large cloves garlic, minced
1 jumbo yellow onion, chopped
1 small sweet red pepper, chopped
2 dark green mild chilis (Anaheim or NuMex), seeded and chopped
1 small can roasted chopped green chilis, or 1/3-1/2 c. home grown roasted green chilis
1-2 hot chilis of your choice (I like Serrano), seeded and minced
1-1½ Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp oregano

2 small (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes plus juice
1 can black beans (Goya or Sun of Italy), drained and rinsed
1 lb. boneless chicken breast, diced
1 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 cup frozen corn , or 2 ears fresh corn cut from cob

salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup vinegar
Side dish: white or short-grained brown rice
Garnishes:

grated sharp Cheddar cheese
Low-fat sour cream or yogurt cheese
Chopped scallions and cilantro leaves

Use 3½ qt. Dutch oven or equivalent:
Saute' garlic in a little olive oil until it starts to turn golden brown (don't let it scorch). Add chopped chilis, roasted chilis, red pepper and onion; saute' until limp. Stir in cumin and oregano, fry a little longer, then add tomatoes and beans. Simmer while browning chicken.

In separate skillet, brown diced chicken in a little olive oil - cook off all the water Frank Perdue pumps into it and saute' until golden brown. Add to pot with tomatoes, chilis and beans. Add frozen corn; simmer about 30 min. (or until brown rice is cooked - whichever is longer).

Stir in vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice with garnishes. This tastes better after sitting overnight in the fridge and re-heated.