Ham, Potato, & Corn Chowder

I made this for dinner a couple weekends ago.  It was very cold and dark and kinda snowy so I didn't want to go out to the store.  I checked out the pantry.  There was most of a bag of Yukon gold potatoes.  I checked out the fridge.  Nothing.  Finally, I checked the freezer and rediscovered my leftover ham that I made a few weeks ago. 

And this is what happened.

Yummy! 

This soup has a really nice consistency.  Not too thick, not too thin, perfectly creamy.  With chunks of caramelized ham and topped with extra sharp cheddar, it was the perfect meal to warm me up on a cold January night.  Give it a try next time you need warmin' up!

Ham, Potato, & Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

3 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 - 3/4 cup diced ham
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 cups chicken stock
1 medium sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow corn kernels
Salt and pepper to taste
Cajun seasoning (optional)

Grab a large dutch oven or stock pot.  I'm using this awesome orange beauty:

Thank you, Aunt Kay.

Isn't cooking so much more fun when you use pretty pots?  I think so.

Heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium heat.  Add ham.  Cook until caramelized (just beginning to brown and crisp up), about 8 minutes or so.  The ham is already cooked; you're just giving it some color here.  Remove ham from pan and set aside.

Now add the rest of the oil to the pan.  Add the onion, and saute 5 minutes, or until just softened.  Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.

Add the diced potatoes to the pan.  Stir the onions and potatoes together and cook about 5 minutes.

Next, add the chicken stock.  Allow the mixture to come to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer.

Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together milk and flour.

Add this milk mixture to the pot.

Allow everything to cook together at a slow simmer for 5-10 more minutes, stirring often.  The flour-milk mixture will start to thicken things up.  

Now, carefully, ladle two to three cups of the soup into the bowl of your food processor.

 Give it a whirl for 10 seconds.  Now it's all smooth.

Now add the contents of the food processor back into the pot on the stove. 

Stir it all together.  Now add the corn.

Then the ham...

And salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning to taste.  Now it's ready to serve!  Top it with cheese, sour cream, and parsley.  Enjoy!