Hearty Potato, Ham And Cheese Chowder

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 8 large baked potatoes
• 12 ounces mild shredded cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 10 tablespoons margarine or 10 tablespoons butter, divided
• 6 ounces flour
• 8 cups milk
• 2 cups cubed cooked ham
• 4 chicken bouillon cubes
• black pepper
• crumbled cooked bacon (optional)

Recipe

• 1 bake potatoes until done.
• 2 cool.
• 3 peel.
• 4 cut four potatoes into small cubes.
• 5 mash the remaining four with a fork.
• 6 set aside.
• 7 using a large soup pot, saute onion and celery in the 4 tablespoons of margarine or butter.
• 8 cook until celery is tender.
• 9 remove vegetables from pan.
• 10 place remaining 6 tablespoons of butter or margarine in pan.
• 11 add flour.
• 12 mix over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
• 13 gradually add milk, stirring constantly to blend with flour mixture.
• 14 add bouillon cubes and black pepper to taste.
• 15 readd celery and onions to pot.
• 16 add mashed potatoes.
• 17 cook until heated through.
• 18 add ham, and cubed potatoes.
• 19 cook over medium low heat 15 minutes, stirring often.
• 20 add cheese and bacon, if using, and cook until cheese is melted through.
• 21 add more milk if soup is too thick.