This is a hardy comfort potato and ham soup.  We like to use the left over cooked ham and make this soup for lunch the next day.

Ingredients:

Soup Base

  • 4 cups of cubed potatoes
  • 1 cup of cubed carrots
  • 1 cup of cubed celery
  • 1 cup of cubed onions
  • 1/2 cups corn
  • 4 cups of water (enough to cover the vegetables in the pot).
  • 1 tsp Salt or to taste
  • 1 tsp black Pepper
  • 1-2 cups cooked ham (depending on how much meat you want in it).

Roux

  • 1/2 cups of butter (about 8 tbsp)
  • 1/2 cup white Flour
  • 2 cups of Cream (half and half or 2% for healthy conscious cooks)
  • 1/2 cups cheddar cheese

Direction:

Soup Base

  1. Start by cutting up the potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions in 1cm by 1cm cubes.
  2. place cubed vegetables in a medium sized pot.
  3. Add water to pot, make sure the water covers all the vegetables.
  4. Add salt and pepper.
  5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes (until vegetables are cooked).

Start Roux:

  1. While vegetables are cooking;
  2. Melt butter in a large sauce pan (adjust heat to medium/low to prevent burning of butter).
  3. Slowly add flour to butter while stirring constantly (flour will dissolve in the butter, creating a nice smooth roux).
  4. Slowly add cream to rue while stirring constantly (the cream will easily absorb into the roux, stir to remove and lumps).
  5. Add cheese to sauce pan and stir to create a creamy cheesy roux base.
  6. Reduce heat to low, and wait until soup base is cooked.

Combine Roux and Soup Base:

  • Add ham and corn to soup base and let cook for a few minutes.
  • Slowly add Cheesy Roux to soup base, stir in until consistently mixed in.
  • Place on low heat, cover and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until all vegetables are fully cooked.