by James Coulter
The holiday season is upon us. And if you’re family is anything like mine, that means ham is on the menu. In fact, my family served both turkey and ham for Thanksgiving.
Of course, this leads to the dilemma of what to do with the leftover ham. And ham sandwiches can only take you so far.
If you looking for a good way to make use of your leftover holiday ham and to warm yourself up from the cold weather, then there’s no better way to do so than with a piping-hot bowl of ham and potato soup.
Every holiday, I’ve been preparing this soup using the ham left over from the big holiday dinner. With hearty chunks of potatoes, veggies, and diced hams served in a savory cheesy broth, this soup is sure to warm you to the bone when the weather outside is frightful—especially with the warmth being so delightful.
This recipe is cooked on a stovetop. However, this year, I once again used my slow cooker—yes, that handy-dandy cooking utensil for when you want to cook a meal without slaving over a hot stove. Just dump in the ingredients, set it, and forget it until dinner rolls around.
And for most soups, I like to dice up my veggies and meats into itty bitty pieces. Some people love their soups with big old chunks that require several bites to eat, but, personally, I like being able to eat everything in a single spoon without much chewing, almost swallowing it all.
Again, if you’re looking for something to make with your leftover holiday ham and to warm you up on a cold winter evening, this warm hearty soup is your best choice. I highly recommend it on a chilly day.
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Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup
(recipe from Food.com)
Ingredients
3 1⁄2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced (I keep mine with the peel)
1⁄3 cup celery, diced
1⁄3 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup chopped carrot
1 -2 cup ham, diced and cooked
3 1/4 cups chicken broth or 3 1/4 cups ham stock
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules (omit if using chicken broth)
salt (to taste)
1 teaspoon pepper
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions
1. Combine potatoes, celery, carrots, onion, ham, and water/broth in a stockpot and bring to a boil.
2. Then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender.
3. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt (if using), and pepper.
4. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook stirring constantly until thick.
5. Slowly stir in milk so as not to allow lumps to form and all milk is added. Turn up to medium heat. Continue to stir until thick (4-5 minutes).
6. Add in cheese and stir until melted.
7. Stir the cheese mixture into the stockpot and cook until heated through. (I also will break up some of the potatoes for thickness. It gets thicker as it cools and the next day).
