Despite sunshine and 60 degrees it is still soup season at my house. We always have a couple of nice weeks in February before rainy March and April take over, and this is one of my favorite times of year to get down to the beach for a few days.
It may be cold but the sky is blue and beach walking is comfortable.
This is one of those “use up whatevers in the fridge” pots of soup,
and I have to say it turned out very tasty.
When I have a ham bone I usually make our favorite SPLIT PEA or LENTIL AND HAM soup but it’s fun to try something different and use up a few perfectly good leftovers at the same time. Cheddar cheese is delicious with the ham and potatoes. The flavors remind me of our favorite potato au gratin casserole and the peas add a nice fresh spring flavor and color.
We love HONEY BAKED HAM and I buy one several times a year for special occasions.
Their ham is so delicious and the ham bone is the base for some of our favorite meals.
Is there a store near you? Do you know that they sell their ham bones ($5.79 each)?
They are usually loaded with ham and are large enough to flavor 3-4 quarts of stock?
They sell out quickly and I buy 2 or 3 at a time so I am ready when I want to make soup or a pot of beans.
You can still make this yummy soup even if you don’t have a ham bone.
Just substitute chicken stock and add chopped deli ham just before serving.
- 1 ham bone
- 10 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup carrots, chopped
- ½ cup onion, diced
- ¼ cup celery, chopped
- 2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 1-1/2 cups milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups (8 ounces) cheddar cheese, grated
- 1-1/2 cups ham, cubed
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ½ cup parsley, coarsely chopped
- Simmer ham bone in water with bay leaves in a large pot for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, till ham is falling off the bone. Remove bone and ham from liquid. Strain stock. Add potatoes and simmer until tender.
- Heat oil in a large saute pan until medium hot. Add carrots, onion and celery and cook till transparent, about 4-5 minutes. Add to soup stock.
- In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth, then cook for 1 minute. Gradually add milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook and stir for 3-4 minutes until thickened. Stir in grated cheese until melted. Add to hot stock. Stir in cubed ham, peas and parsley. Garnish with extra parsley.
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{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Cathy – No, I didn’t know that they sold those bones. It sounds like a good deal and I want to try making this delicious soup with one of them. Plenty of cold weather left here.
CiaochowLinda recently posted..Pasta with Shrimp and Romesco Sauce
Sounds like my kind of soup! It’s snowing in Philly right now so this would be welcome today:@)
Hi Cathy, I did not know that Honey Baked Ham sells their ham bones. Thank you for telling us! Your soup looks heavenly and the photo of it, is wonderful! I’d love a bowl for lunch or dinner… so comforting.
Kitty recently posted..Valentine’s Day at the Coffee Table
Comfort plus:)
Monique recently posted..BlueBell and ButterCup’s Vanilla Tray Bake~
This is my kind of potato soup – lots of goodies. Bev’s version cotains potatoes, water, dairy, S&P and that’s all (like her mom’s), but I prefer it with the things you’ve included (like my mom’s)and the ham takes to another level. I could go for a bowl on this cool Saturday.
Larry recently posted..Italian Hash Ala Big Dude
I’m a huge soup fan. From a cook’s standpoint, it is easy and you always have stuff for soup if you dig around long enough, and from a diner’s standpoint it is always good. Honey Baked Ham here charges like $2.99 a pound, so our soup bones are about $10.00 each, but you know even at that, they are worth every penny. Your soup looks delicious.
Karen Harris recently posted..Tasting Colorado by Michele Morris: Buffalo Redeye Stew and Cookbook Giveaway
I should be making that soup right now, Cathy. It’s going to get coooooold in S. Florida tonight. Brrr.
I love those honey baked ham bones. Used to make pea soup (with my mother’s recipe) for them every other week when they were both housebound. You can buy those bones without the ham as I recall, so I usually bought a piece of ham as well. Haven’t made it since they passed away. (Haven’t made barley soup for the same reason…got sick and tired of making it for years and years.)
I love what you’ve done with your soup, and that it’s made from scratch with a ham bone. Lovely photos too; soups are often difficult to photograph. You did a super job.
Barbara recently posted..Artisan Bacon and Cheese Bread
I didn’t know ham bones could be purchased, Cathy. It’s great to decide to make soup and check out what ingredients are in the fridge. Your soup is perfect for our chilly weather.
~Judy
JG recently posted..~Creamy Cheesy Pie~
Oh this sounds wonderful.
It’s always soup weather as far as I’m concerned. This one looks so good, with that yummy ham on top. I didn’t know that they sold the ham bones- thanks for the tip!
Betty @ scrambled henfruit recently posted..Spicy Curried Butternut Red Lentil Soup
Looks FANTASTIC – but I might just leave it ’til the Aussie weather cools down!!!
Red Nomad OZ recently posted..12 Coastal Photo Clichés from around Australia!
This soup sounds done right perfect. We are in NC right now visiting the kids and it snowed yesterday. It was a treat only because we have been in Florida all winter. Thanks for the tip about Honey baked ham’s bones. I’m going to look for a store here or in Florida.
Penny recently posted..Jambalaya
I really need to get over to Honey Baked Ham and buy one of their bones. I’m glad to hear there’s meat included. This soup sounds very good Cathy.
What a delicious and warming soup! Ham bone…is it like pork bone?
Angie@Angie’s Recipes recently posted..Cold Oven Gluten Free Red Lentil Muffins with Sundried Tomatoes
Cathy – this looks so yummy. It’s a very cold Carolina day today and this would be just perfect! I know it would also hit the spot after your walks on the beach!
The Café Sucré Farine recently posted..Vanilla Cake w/ Strawberry Filling & Meyer Lemon Buttercream
Oh Cathy… this looks so delicious. It would be perfect for dinner tonight!
Pam recently posted..Breakfast Braid with Eggs, Roasted Pepper, Spinach, and Feta
YUM! i love a good soup, and everytime i buy a ham i’m never sure what to do with the leftovers. great recipe!
teresa recently posted..Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
this looks like a lovely soup have fun at the beach
rebecca recently posted..Aviyal (South Indian Vegetable and Coconut Curry)
My Gram used to make something similar to this and I loved it, thanks for bringing back the memories!
Rhonda recently posted..Crock Pot Pork Roast with Sauerkraut
A really tastu, comforting & hearty tasty soup!
Give me a big bowl of this tasty soup, right now, please! Yummm!
I also did not know that about Honey Baked Ham selling ham bones! We have one nearby and I will be calling them soon
Honestly, I could eat soup half the week and this one looks like it could be a favorite.
Susan recently posted..Easy Chocolatey Bundt Cake