Grandma's Wild Rice Soup Recipe

This is my mom's soup recipe. She found it in the St. Paul paper years ago. My daughter served it for dinner on Christmas Eve. It was wonderful, creamy and full of flavor! This is a perfect Christmas Eve supper. You can make it ahead ... and it tastes even better after the ingredients have a chance to blend and meld! It also freezes well.
Grandma's Chicken & Wild Rice Soup Recipe
4 cups cooked wild rice (about 1 cup uncooked wild rice)
4 1/2 quarts chicken broth
1 1/2 # cooked, diced chicken
1 onion, diced
4 tsp. minced garlic
4 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup flour
2 carrots, peeled and diced (or slivered)
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup diced ham, optional
1 quart cream
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
In large pot, combine stock, chicken, onion, garlic, thyme, oregano and pepper. Bring to a boil. In small sauce pan, melt butter over low heat. Sprinkle with flour. Cook, stirring with whisk, for 3-5 minutes, or until mixture is golden. Add to stock mixture. Reduce heat to a simmer. Add carrots, celery and ham. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add cream. Return to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in wild rice and almonds. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serves 10-12