According to my family, I am the Queen of "one pot creations." Some out of necessity, when times were a little thin, and sometimes just for the shear creation of it. They have always enjoyed seeing what I would come up with at meals times. Some were enjoyed...some not so much.
This Cheesy Ham & Broccoli Soup became a big hit, and was created in an attempt to "use up" some of the leftover Christmas ham, after tiring of the usual ham and bean method. It is rich and hearty, and quite the compliment to a cold winters eve. You'll need to gather the following ingredients:

Ham Chunks (amount depends on how much meat you like in soups)
Frozen Broccoli (about 8 oz)
Frozen carrots (about 8 oz)
4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1 small onion, chopped fine
Velveeta cheese cut into chunks(start out with about 2 cups)
1/4 cup of milk
2 T. butter
Bring 6 cups of water to boil in a dutch oven, reduce to medium heat and add the ham and onions. Cook until onions are tender, about 1/2 an hour. Add the broccoli, potatoes and carrots. Cook until vegetables are tender. Put the Velveeta cheese in a microwave safe bowl and melt together with 1/4 cup of milk and 2 T of butter. Add this melted mixture to the pot of vegetables and ham and simmer for 15 minutes on low heat. Add your favorite seasonings, such as, salt, pepper, chives or garlic to your preferred taste. You can also mix in more cubed cheese, if the soup is not as cheesy as you would like. I sometimes thicken the soup, in the last stage of simmering. To do this, put a tablespoon of flour in a small bowl or cup. Add enough cold water to make a very thin paste. Stir the flour mixture into soup and simmer a couple minutes longer.

For a simple, yet creative way to serve the soup, empty the pot into a large casserole bowl. Set the casserole bowl in the center of a large platter. Add your own touch around the bowl, by offering a display of crackers, garlic bread, or even croutons. Simple, economic meals don't have to be boring. With a little imagination any meal can be a delight to serve.

Learn more about this author, Donna Thacker.
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