Quick and Easy Potato Soup

[plain_old_donut]

I don't use too many recipes, and I sometimes have trouble recreating something that came out good. But I made this last night for dinner, and it turned out quite good, so I thought I'd share it before it left my brain.

This has way less fat and calories than my traditional soup (the kind with bacon and butter and lots more cream) but it tasted just as good.

I qt. Chicken Broth (I used Great Value in the box, from Walmart)
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced pretty small
1/4 lb. Deli Ham, diced fine (Aldi's Turkey Ham works, too)
1 Tbsp. Dried Minced Onion
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. Dried Minced Garlic
1 tsp. Cumin
Salt & Pepper to taste
About 1/2 cup Half & Half or Milk (optional)

Put everything except the cream in a pot and boil till potatoes are very tender. Taste and adjust seasonings. Using either a potato masher or a hand blender, blend till some of the potatoes are thickening the soup.
(This soup is very tasty at this point if you want to avoid the dairy.)
Add cream or milk to taste. Do not bring to a boil after adding cream, just heat it up if you added enough to cool it.

My daughter will insist that it isn't ready until you top with with a large helping of grated cheddar cheese, but I enjoyed it "naked". ( the soup, that is!)

This will serve 4 or so if it is an appetizer soup, and 2 or 3 if it is the main course - just add bread and a salad.