Ham and Potato Soup

Oh how I love this creamy, warm, perfect-for-winter soup. My husband, who is not a fan of soup, particularly likes this one because it is thick and creamy and actually fills him up. I have made it before, but I decided it would be divine for my family Christmas Eve dinner this year. And it was. It does take a bit of time, not terribly long, but not super quick either. There's a bit of chopping and a couple of different steps to put this soup together, but it is worth it! I only make a couple of changes to the original recipe when I make it too. Instead of using water and bouillon, I just use one can of chicken broth and one cup of water. That is because I usually have chicken broth on hand, plus bouillon is not gluten free, so I have to be careful about that. But either way works just fine. I usually double this recipe for big get togethers, but if it's just for a small family, then it works great the way it is. I also leave out celery- not a huge fan. :) I think adding more ham than what it calls for is also wonderful, but that's because I absolutely love ham! Also, it is yummy with shredded cheddar cheese and green onion on top if you want to add a little extra flavor and color- if not, it is great the way it is. If you are a soup fan (even if you're not), then definitely give this wonderful winter soup a try!

Ingredients
3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
3 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

Directions
Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

Gluten free: use chicken broth instead of bouillon and GF flour.

Original recipe from allrecipes.com