Creamy Vegetable Ham Soup

Creamy Vegetable Ham Soup

8 C. Water

4 T. Chicken Bullion Powder (or 4 Cubes)

1 Onion, diced

5 Celery Stalks, diced

2 C. Carrots, sliced (usually around 8-9 large carrots)

2 C. Broccoli Florets (Or more - I think I did closer to three this time)

1 C. Frozen Corn (or 1 Can)

1-2 C. Ham, diced

Belchemel Sauce

1 Stick Butter (The real stuff)

1/2 C. Flour

Salt and Pepper (I usually go for 1/2 t. of each)

2 C. Milk

2 C. Shredded Cheese

Instructions:

Boil water and chicken bullion together on high head, while it starts boiling, dice your onions and celery. Add to the pot, and start peeling, and chopping those carrots. I love the taste of large carrots versus the 'baby' carrots, but baby carrots can work too. Add carrots to the boiling pot next, then chop your fresh broccoli into florets. Think bite size pieces. The carrots, onion, and celery have to cook longer than the broccoli. The broccoli also gets soft and breaks down into pieces. I then chop and add the ham pieces (this is a great soup to use leftover ham from the freezer). I let that boil until the carrots are soft, and then I add the corn.

(I have also substituted canned carrots, and frozen broccoli in a pinch for a super fast soup, as well as adding in cauliflower for variety)

While you are waiting for the carrots to cook through, make the belchemel sauce (which is a fancy way of saying a white sauce). Melt the butter over medium high heat. Once butter has melted, add salt and pepper. stir together and add flour. It will make a thick paste, gradually add in the two cups of milk. You want this sauce to be thick, but not too runny either... just right. Once the sauce is to the desired consistency, add in your two cups of shredded cheese. (I find that the cheese I grate myself melts much better than the pre-shredded stuff, probably because of the stuff they put on it to keep it from clumping.) Once you have made your cheese sauce (which can be used over any sort of noodle by the way) pour into your vegetable soup. Let them simmer together until it boils again, and serve with garlic bread or rolls.

This recipe makes a ton, You may be able to shrink it in half, but it's so yummy I don't mind eating it for lunch the next few days. (I would venture a guess that it would serve 8-10 people depending on serving sizes).

You can also make this without the ham for a SUPER cheap meatless meal, I just like the taste better with the ham. :)

Notes from Jill's Kitchen: I haven't actually made this yet. Megan P. brought it over for us right after Bean was born and I loved it so much I had her send me the recipe. Almost a year and a half later, it is time to try making it for myself!