Slow Cooker Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup

Guys, this soup is so amazing. It is one that I will make over and over throughout the colder months because it is just so hearty, comforting and scrumptious. And, it's ultra easy to make.

I actually developed and spent time testing this recipe back in July and August. I often prepare recipes out-of-season/pre-season so that the posts for those recipes are "live" on the blog in-season. Since I prefer to test a new recipe several times before posting it, I often find myself making Christmas treats, for example, in October and November. In this case, it was soup in August.

Hot, sweltering August.

I am looking forward to enjoying this soup a lot more, however, now that cooler weather is upon us.

It's a soup deeply rich in flavor, but requires mere minutes of hands-on preparation.

The wild rice's chewy, hearty texture is enhanced here by the luxurious, creamy and silky broth while the mushrooms bring an earthy, deep flavor to the soup. Imagine cozying up on the couch with a mug of this hot, creamy soup during the blizzard-y, bitter cold months of winter. Pure comfort.

NOTE: You can use a variety of mushrooms or one type that you particularly like. I use basic button mushrooms.

Yields 4 - 6 servings.

Sweet Corn, Potato and Sausage Soup with Kale

This is such an inviting, flavorful soup that couldn't be more perfect for these chilly fall days. This soup is hearty and filling. It'll really warm you up from the inside out. And, it's just as good (if not better) reheated, so this would be something super fitting if you're a person who likes to make up a large pot of soup for the week ahead. After all, some days there is nothing more comforting and perfect than being curled up on the couch with a coffee cup of reheated soup in hand, fuzzy slippers on our piggies, blanket-draped shoulders and the remote at our side.

My family found that we thoroughly enjoyed this garnished with some freshly-shaved Parmesan cheese on top. The sharp, salty notes in the cheese paired perfectly with the sweetness brought to the party by the corn.

The browned sausage lends a lot in terms of flavor to this soup, but it could easily omitted if desired. An alternative that I would recommend would be to garnish the soup with a little cooked, crumbled bacon at time of service.

NOTE: Fresh, chopped spinach can be added in place of the kale if desired. Chop either into the size pieces that you prefer. I like the kale roughly chopped, but it can be chopped a little finer if desired.

Yields 6 servings.