Homemade Ham Soup

I love to use my slow cooker for homemade soups, so easy to start it off in the morning and keep adding to it throughout the day.

Ingredients

Bone from cooked ham,     carrots,    1 medium onion,     3 celery stalks,     1 can diced tomatoes,     1 small zucchini,     1/4 cauliflower,     3/4 cup orzo pasta (or whatever you have on hand)

Place ham bone in slow cooker and cover with water.  Leave a bunch of meat attached to the bone when you simmer it.  Turn cooker on high and simmer for a couple of hours.  As the ham bone is simmering add one medium onion and salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer away.

After a couple of hours of simmering remove bone and meat.  Trim and cut meat and add back to pot...discard bone or give it to the dog.

Chop celery, zucchini, carrots and add to pot, add canned tomatoes as well.  You can add whatever veggies you have or prefer.  I like to add the cauliflower about 1/2 hour before I serve the soup, it is firmer that way.  You can turn your soup down to low if your veggies are cooked.

I cook my pasta on the side and add to the soup when served. . . I don't like it to get mushy.  Cook orzo as directed on package.

Serve with homemade bread or buns and a splash of Worchestershire sauce is a nice flavour booster.

There's nothing like a big pot of homemade soup to warm you on a cold January day.