Variety of Food, Day 5: Wild Rice Soup

So, I'm still feeling less than 100%, and that means more soup. This is another easy one. I got it from my mother, who likes anything that reminds her of Minnesota, and wild rice is definitely one of those things. It turned out okay, but I was a little short on the cooking time for the rice (or my microwave is dying -- both quite likely explanations), so it was a bit chewy. I have a tendency to call something done earlier than I should, because I get hungry and impatient.

Wild Rice Soup
1 cup wild rice
4 cups water
1/2 cup butter
1 diced onion
2 diced carrots
2 diced stalks of celery
3/4 lb diced ham
1 cup flour
7 cups chicken broth
1 cup evaporated milk

Put the rice and water in a covered dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes, and then at 50% power for 30 minutes. Leave it in the microwave for 15 minutes afterward. While this is going, chop up all the other items, and then saute the onion, carrot, celery and ham in the butter for about 5 minutes in a big soup pot, until the onion is transparent. Add the flour a bit at a time, and stir into the mixture. Once it's all added and your arm is tired from stirring, add the broth, about a cup at a time and continue the stirring. Let it simmer gently until the rice is done, and then add that to the soup pot along with any liquid left in the dish. simmer for 10 minutes or so until the rice is tender. Add the evaporated milk and heat through.

Total kitchen time: 45 minutes