Maurice Sendak wrote a delightful book about chicken soup with rice.  Here is our favorite January recipe:

Directions

1. In a large soup pot, combine chicken, carrots, parsnips, celery, onions, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, and 1 teaspoon coarse salt. Add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium. Simmer partly covered, occasionally skimming and discarding fat from surface, about 1 hour.
2. With a slotted spoon or tongs, remove chicken, carrots, and parsnips from pot; set aside. Pour remaining contents of pot through a fine-mesh sieve into another large pot; discard solids, and bring broth to a boil. Add rice and white part of scallions. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer, uncovered, until rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, remove chicken from bones, and shred into bite-size pieces (discard any fatty or discolored parts). Cut carrots and parsnips into bite-size pieces. When rice is cooked, return chicken, carrots, and parsnips to broth in pot; add green part of scallions. Season generously with 5 to 6 teaspoons coarse salt. (To freeze, see note.)

From Everyday Food, October 2006

Around here, in sunny Arizona, we don’t get snowflakes in January (although I still decorate in blue and white), we get citrus.  We love our lemon and orange trees.  Harvesting this time of year is always so rewarding.  We start making our favorite lemon recipes.  Here is the ice cream…

Lemon Ice Cream

1 c. granulated sugar

1 c. whole milk

1/3 c. fresh lemon juice (about 1 1/2 lemons)

1 c. whipping cream

1/2 t. vanilla

We make it in an ice cream maker.

I took a cake decorating class a few months ago.  I’ve been trying out my new found skills at the monthly Lee family birthday celebrations.  Ben’s parents host a party for the birthdays in the month.  This month Ben’s sister Rhoda and Ben’s brother’s wife, Crystal had their birthdays.  I love my sister’s in laws.  On Ben’s side there is Rhoda, Rainey, and Crystal.  On my side we have Susan and Lacy.  I’m so grateful for them!

Apple and Butternut Squash Soup
4 cups chicken stock
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch cubes
2 medium tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 1/4 cups chopped onions
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 cup light (10%) cream

In a large pot, combine stock, squash, apples, onions, salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Remove from heat and stir in cream.   Allow soup to cool slightly.

In a food processor or blender, puree soup on batches until smooth, transferring each batch to a saucepan.  Bring to boil before serving.