Hearty Veggie Soup In A Creamy Mushroom Broth - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/4 cup margarine
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
1/2 onion, chopped
8 slices deli ham, chopped
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can green beans, undrained
water to cover
2 cups bite-size broccoli florets
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
10 (1 ounce) slices processed cheese food product, Swiss flavor
8 cups 2% milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation

Melt the margarine in a large stock pot over medium heat. Cook and stir the celery, carrot, and onion in the melted margarine until the onion is tender and slightly browned, about 10 minutes; add the ham, potatoes, corn, green beans, and enough water to cover the mixture completely. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are cooked nearly through, 30 to 35 minutes.
Stir the broccoli, cream of mushroom soup, Swiss-style cheese food, 2% milk, salt, and black pepper into the soup; cook just until the cheese is melted into the soup, about 5 minutes.