RECIPE OF THE WEEK: CHEDDAR HAM CHOWDER

It’s soup season. One of the reasons I do embrace soups (just not soup season) is the one pot/tummy filler concept. Soups can be a big dump in one pot, add some bread and a salad, and the tummy is filled quickly, and you spent almost no time laboring over your dinner.

A lot of soups can be done in the slow cooker, but I threw this one together in about 20 minutes, and reheated it for dinner. The cheese and the ham combined with a flour and milk base create a stick to your ribs consistency, and a fun, kiddie-like crowd pleaser, combining cheese and corn.

This is from TASTE OF HOME magazine:
 
2c water
2c cubed peeled potatoes
½ c sliced carrots
½ c sliced celery
¼ c chopped onion
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ c butter
1/4c flour
2c whole milk
2c shredded sharp cheddar
1 can (15oz) whole kernel corn, drained
1 ½ c cubed cooked ham
 
In a large saucepan, bring the water, potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, salt and pepper to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 8-10 min or until veggies are just tender.  Remove from heat, but do not drain.
 
In another saucepan while the veggies boil, melt the butter and stir in the flour till smooth. Gradually add the milk, and bring to a boil. Cook and stir until thickened. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Add this to the veggie mixture and turn up the heat.
 
Throw in the corn and ham and howdy! You are back on the farm!

​HIP MOM HINTS:
 
1. I hate peeling anything: don’t peel your potatoes. Nobody cares, notices, and as they say, the fiber and vitamins are in the peel. The same with your carrots. As long as everything is clean and nobody will get Giardia from a dirty veggie, you are good to go.
 
2. I used carrots that were already shredded. You can usually find these wherever you grocery shop. I also use pre-cut celery, onions when I can get them. HUGE time saver.
 
3. It can be very difficult to find a ham steak that you can cube, or cut into chunks. Most ham is deli ham, and unless you want to pay triple for a ham steak or baby ham you would cook on Easter, try to find a Smithfield ham in the deli section or, I used Canadian ham (or bacon) I found with the rest of the cured meats.  
 
4. I made this in the morning, let it cook, then reheated it hours later for dinner. It was great, and the leftovers store well.