Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup

We are busily cleaning up the leftover ham from Christmas. Sound familiar to anyone else?  I have a few meals that I'm hungry for, but I'm trying to clean up this ham before it goes to waste.  I have enough for 2-3 meals, but I don't feel like I have enough to bottle like I'd wanted.  I thought a few half pints put away for future ham sandwiches and soups would be wonderful, but it's not going to happen this time around.  

I love this creamy comfort soup.  It starts very simply with softened onions, large chopped veggies and stock.
The roux is made separate and then combined once the veggies are cooked through.

We served this with homemade toasted garlic bagel chips.  YUM!


Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups potatoes,  peeled and roughly chopped.
2 stocks celery, roughly chopped

1 large carrots, roughly chopped1 onion, finely chopped

3-5 cloves garlic, minced1 -2 cup ham , diced and cooked
3 1/2 cups stock
1 teaspoon pepper

5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
2 cups  milk
2 cups cheddar cheese , shredded


Directions:

1.    Bring you're soup pot up to cooking temperature.  Then saute the onions in a bit of olive oil.  Once the onions are translucent, combine celery, carrots, and garlic into your soup pot.  Cook for 3-5 minutes.  

2.  Add potatoes, stock and pepper.  Cook over Medium heat till potatoes are soft, 20-30 minutes.

3.  In separate saucepan, melt butter over low heat.  Whisk in flour and cook stirring constantly until thick.

4.  Slowly stir in milk making sure to beat out any lumps that form.  Continue to cook until you're roux thickens.

5.  Add cheese and stir until melted.

6.  Stir the cheese mixture into you're soup pot and cook until heated through. 

Enjoy!