FAVORITE BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP WITH HAM & POTATO!

Favorite Broccoli Cheese Soup with Ham & Potato! image

Provided by Judith M Cavanaugh @MomCavs

Number Of Ingredients 16

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2 cup(s) broccoli, fresh, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled & shredded
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 clove(s) garlic, minced
1 teaspoon(s) thyme
4 tablespoon(s) butter, unsalted
1/4 cup(s) flour
1 cup heavy cream (or milk of choice)
32oz box(es) chicken stock (or broth)
8oz ham, cubed
1 large potato, peeled & cubed
1 & 1/2 cup(s) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded from a block of cheese
1/2 cup(s) swiss cheese, shredded from a block
salt & pepper to taste
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon(s) nutmeg (optional)

Steps:

Pre-chop and measure out all ingredients to have them ready.
In stock pot, melt butter.
Sauté onions, celery, carrots until soft. Add in broccoli, stirring until it is partially cooked. (Maybe 5 minutes.) Add ham cubes, garlic and thyme. Stir and sauté a few minutes more.
Sprinkle in flour and whisk in 1 cup of the chicken stock and all the heavy cream.
Add remaining 3 cups of chicken stock, stir 'til blended.
Add potato cubes. Simmer for 10 minutes or until potatoes and broccoli are tender.
At this point I remove about 2 cups of the vegetables and set them aside while I blend the soup remaining in the pot using an immersion stick blender until it thickens up a bit. Return the (removed) vegetables/ham to the soup pot.
Add cheeses, stirring until melted.
Add salt & pepper to taste and the nutmeg, if desired. (It adds more richness!)
Serve topped with extra shredded cheese and enjoy with a slice of crusty bread, crackers, croutons, or in a bread bowl along with a nice tossed salad! (Instead of ham, it's delicious with leftover rotisserie chicken!)