Cream Ham and Rice Soup

What do you do with your left over ham?

The hubby's work gives him a Smithfield ham every year and I decided that it was my wifely duties to cook it up this year! I've never cooked a ham, turkey, or anything of the sort. I had no need or want to, but I figured it being my 1st year of marriage, I thought it would be a good time to start.

So I cooked the ham the other day and made my mom's mashed potatoes to go with it, but we have  TON left over!

See!

So, my search on Pintrest started to find what I could make with all this left over ham. I came across this recipe for soup!

Lately, it has been warm where we live, but when it eventually gets cold it'll be nice to take it out of the freezer on a cold day.

I doubled the original recipe, so if you want just a little, use the link.

You will need:

4 cups cooked rice (I used brown)

7 cups of chicken broth (I use low sodium and it tastes just fine)

2 green scallions chopped

2 generous cups of chopped ham

2 cups of shredded carrots

12 tbs butter

2/3 cup of flour

2 cups of half and half

Dash of salt and pepper

While you are cooking up your rice, go ahead and start chopping up your ham. Note: I cooked my rice in the microwave and it was a little messy. You might want to cook it on the stove. 

I love the smell of scallions, they are my newest favorite thing to cook with! But they do wilt fast, so don't buy them too far in advance. Chop 'em up!

While you are chopping up your delicious smelling scallions (green onion), start melting the butter in a big sauce pan. Then add your scallions. 

Add your carrots too. Let them simmer in the wonderful butter for a bit!

You'll need to add the flour next, but careful to stir it quickly and don't let it clump up.

Get your chicken broth ready. Add it slowly and let it come to a boil. Once it boils, let it simmer for about 2 minutes.

Once it's boiled for 2 minutes, add your ham.

Add the rice.

Lastly, add the 1/2 and 1/2, a pinch of pepper and salt.

I divided mine into containers to store in the freezer.

Be sure to try some before you put them away though. Yumm!

It was hubby approved too :) And that says a lot for my picky eater of a husband!

Enjoy!