Potato Soup with ham and cheese

This dish was absolutely delicious. I didn't bother with the cheese even because once it was done thickening up, it tasted amazing without adding anything else to it. I'm not a big fan of potato soup as a general rule, but the big pot of this that I made tonight is gone....we ate it all!

I already had ham on hand (bought a huge pack on clearance and froze it into smal portions for dishes like this) and used onions instead of leeks.

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 3 leeks, white only, thinly sliced
• 6 to 8 ounces diced country ham, or smoked ham
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups diced peeled baking potatoes
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley, or 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 2 teaspoons fresh or freeze-dried chopped chives, optional
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 cups half-and-half or whole milk
• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• salt, to taste

Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add sliced leeks and country ham. Sauté, stirring frequently, until leeks are tender. Add flour and stir until well blended. Add the chicken broth and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Add potatoes; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add parsley, chives, if using, and pepper, to taste. Add half-and-half or milk and cheese; stir until cheese is melted. Taste and add salt if necessary.
Serves 6.