Wild Rice, Cheese, and Bacon Soup

Contributed By: Adventures in Freeze Drying

This recipe makes 1about 2 cups

Directions:

1. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the diced onion in a small amount of chicken broth, stirring occasionally, until caramelized. Add more broth if needed to prevent burning.
2. In a separate pan, cook the bacon and sausage over medium heat until fully cooked. Drain excess grease and rinse thoroughly under hot water to remove excess fat.
3. Add wild rice and 1¼ cups of water to the Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 3–4 minutes, then allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes.  Or, follow package instructions to cook the wild rice on the stovetop.
4. Transfer the caramelized onions, cooked and rinsed bacon and sausage, and prepared wild rice to a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the cheese is fully melted and the mixture is heated through.
5. Add parchment paper to your trays.  Pour the soup onto the trays.
6. Place dividers. We like to use 10 portions per tray, and I used 2 medium trays and had a bit leftover.
7. Pre-freeze when possible.
8. Freeze dry (my cycle time was 36 hours).
9. Store in jars for short-term use or in mylar bags for long-term storage.

Rehydration:

Use ¾ cup - 1 cup of boiling water per 2 portions or about 1 ¼ cup of soup. Add the boiling water to the soup, stir until it looks creamy, cover and let sit for 2-5 minutes.  Stir again and enjoy. This is 1 serving.

Notes:

Even after washing the bacon sausage, it is still high in fats.  So it may not store for years like most freeze dried foods.

Nutritional Value Per 1 serving

Calories: 288  Protein: 17 g   Fat: 16 g   Carbohydrates: 18 g   Sugar: 6 g   Fiber: 1 g

Cycle times & rehydration for reference only. Your results may vary.