Ham and Veggie Soup

Fall is here and it's the time of year I love to eat good comfort foods like soup, stews, chili, ect. These are budget-friendly meals that get us through the winter. In our house, I’ve been known to make soup out of anything edible I can find in the cabinets, pantry, fridge, and freezer. Yep, it’s all but the kitchen sink. Hubby and son make jokes about how much I love soup. I can literally eat soup every day and won't get tired of it :-) Today I'm sharing with you an easy soup that can be modified to include anything you like.


Ham and Veggie Soup

Ingredients:
1 Ham Steak cubed (bone discarded) or use 2 cups leftover ham cut into cubes
1 12-16 oz. bag of frozen mixed vegetables
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 Tbsp. of EVOO (or oil of your choice)
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 Bay leaf (big size)
1 14.5oz. can of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 8oz. can of tomato sauce
6 cups of chicken broth/stock (I make my own)

Directions:
Spray a 6 qt. crockpot with cooking spray. Add cubed ham and frozen mixed vegetables. In a skillet heat oil on medium heat. Sauté onion and celery for 5 minutes then add in garlic and sauté for another minute. Put in crockpot and add other ingredients. Stir and cover. Cook on LOW heat 6-8 hours or HIGH heat 3-4 hours. Serve with crackers, cornbread, or a good piece of crusty type bread with butter. YUM!