Ham & Potato Soup

I got a new Crock Pot for Christmas, and decided to try making a soup with some leftover Christmas ham. Turned out pretty well! The onions, though, are NOT just a garnish - they are an important part of the soup's flavor, so don't leave them out!

-Serves about 4-

You Will Need:
-3 small potatoes. I had an assorted bad of baby potatoes, so I used one red, one blue, and one yellow, for color interest.
-About 1/3 cup of ham cut into about 1" pieces - I used already sliced ham, so it wasn't cubes.
-1 can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
-2 cans of water
-2 tbsp dried parsley - rub between palms before throwing in the pot - it helps release the flavor
-Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
-Splash of Adobo seasoning
-1 tsp Paprika
-1/2 tsp Cumin
-One yellow onion
-Grated Cheddar Cheese- for garnish

Here's How You Do It:
-Cube the potatoes (about 3/4" to an inch)
-Add all ingredients, EXCEPT onions and cheese, into your crock pot on high.
-Set on Med. High or High (depending on the power of your crock pot. Mine is small, and not too powerful. You DO NOT want this to start to bubble. If it heats up quickly, reduce the heat to medium.)
-Allow to cook COVERED until potatoes are tender. I was able to turn it on in the morning, and it was ready when I came home from work. 8 hours - I guess it really IS a SLOW cooker.

Before Serving
-Dice your onions, and brown them in butter on the stove. You want them to be crispy and very browned.
-Grate cheese over the soup once ladled into bowls, and then top with a pile of fried onions.

ENJOY!

Helpful Tips
-You can replace the ham with bacon
-Feel free to chop up carrots, or add some pearl onions to the soup
-You could cook half of the onions and add to the soup about an hour before serving, to let the flavors fuse, and then use the rest for garnish
-If you're serving to guests, fresh parsley leaves look lovely, and croutons add a nice crunch.