Cheesy Creamy Ham And Potato Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 cups water
1 large ham bone
2 1/4 cups potatoes, diced
2 medium potatoes, halved
2 1/4 cups ham, cubed
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1 3/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

Preparation

Boil ham bone in 4 cups of water in large COVERED stock pot for approx 1 hour. (If omitting this step use 4 chicken bouillon or 4 cups chicken broth instead).
Remove ham bone and strain stock to remove any debris.
Boil the 2 med potatoes halved in stock until softened, remove to separate bowl.
Combine 2 1/4 cups diced potatoes, 1 med onion, DICED HAM, and 3 minced garlic cloves and add to stock. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until potatoes are tender.
Mash 2 halved potatoes with small amount of milk and add to stock (helps to thicken).
In separate pan, melt butter. Add in flour a tablespoon at a time to make a roux or paste. Add milk and blend well to make a cream sauce.
Simmer cream sauce for 2 minutes. Add cheese and blend well. Mixture will be very gooey.
Add cheese blend to soup and gently mix to combine.