Foodie Friday: Creamy Ham and White Cheddar Soup

With the cold weather comes the desire for soups!  At least for me that's how it goes.  Whenever it is a snowy day I want to bake homemade bread and have some nice thick soup.  I have a hubby who isn't a fan of soups.  They don't fill him up, so he claims.  And he doesn't believe in drinking your dinner.  So I always have to make sure my soup is thick and has lots of stuff in it.  I found this recipe on one of the scrapbook blogs I stalk visit.  Crazy, huh? Go visit Designs by Megan Turnidge for lots of free scrapbook templates and goodies!  She also does some crafty stuff once in awhile, like this yummy soup!

Creamy White Cheddar, Ham, & Potato Soup

2 tbs. vegetable oil
1 sweet onion, diced
3 ribs celery, sliced
4-5 carrots, peeled and sliced
5 cups *less sodium* chicken broth
4 cups potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size cubes
2 cups diced, cooked ham
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste (1/2 tsp. is about how much I use)
5 tbs. butter
5 tbs. flour
2 cups whole milk
3 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese

In a stockpot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat and add the onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté until veggies start to soften. Stir in the chicken broth, potatoes, ham, and salt & pepper. Simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender (about 10-15 minutes).

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and whisk constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in the milk (don’t add it all at once to avoid clumps). Continue stirring over medium-low heat until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Add the cheese and stir until melted and smooth.

Stir the cheese mixture into the stockpot.

Serve and garnish with cheese, green onion, etc. as desired.