Hamburger Buns

Place the following in bread machine:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
3 1/4 cup flour
1 Tbsp butter
3/4 tsp. Salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp basil or rosemary (I only use 1/2 tsp)
2 tsp yeast

Select dough cycle. When done, remove to lightly floured surface. If necessary, knead dough to make it easy to handle. Divide dough into 9 equal pieces. Form each into smooth ball. Place on greased sheet. Flatten into 4" rounds; cover with saran wrap. Let rise 20-30 minutes.

Lightly beat 1 egg white and 1 Tbsp water. Brush on buns. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

NOTE: You don't have to use a bread matchin. I don't have one, and my buns turned out nicely! They are pretty good too! Kind of handy when you don't have buns around but need them!

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

1 box Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice
3 cups water
1 - 2 carrots, grated
1/2 cup frozen corn, approx.
3/4 cup frozen broccoli, approx
8 oz cream cheese, cubed
1 can cream of chicken soup (or 1 1/2 cups of homemade)*
1 cup shredded chicken, optional

Put rice, seasoning packet, and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes. Add carrots, corn and broccoli (as much or as little as you like) and simmer 10 more minutes. Add cream cheese, soup, and chicken and stir until creamy.

Serve immediately.



*I don't like the stuff in the can so I always make my own cream of chicken soup:

2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 cup chicken stock
3/4 cup milk

Melt butter in saucepan, whisk in flour, salt and pepper. Whisk in stock and milk and stir over med-hi heat until thick and bubbly.