Cooking Instructions:

1. In a large stockpot, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the cooked bacon from the pot and set aside. Drain most of the bacon grease from the pot, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pot.
2. Add the chopped onion, celery and carrots to the hot bacon grease and cook until the onions are translucent. Make sure to scrape all those bacon bits from the bottom of the pot to help flavour the vegetables.
3. Add the chopped ham and cubed potatoes to the pot with the broth. Add additional liquid if needed to make sure the potatoes are completely covered.
4. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook the potatoes until fork tender, about 15 minutes.
5. While the potatoes are cooking, melt 5 tablespoons of butter in a separate saucepan, over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, sprinkle in the flour and whisk together to create a paste. Allow this mixture to cook for about 2 minutes, whisking constantly to prevent it from burning.
6. Slowly add the milk in to the paste a few tablespoons at a time. When all the milk has been added, turn the heat down and allow the mixture to simmer for approximately 10 minutes, whisking often so the flour mixture does not stick to the bottom of the pot. The mixture will gradually thicken. Remove from heat once it reaches this stage.
7. Once the potatoes are cooked, use a potato masher to crush the potatoes a bit, breaking up most of the chunks. Pour the thickened milk mixture into the potato mixture and stir to combine well. Keep the soup on the heat for a few extra minutes to ensure it is heated through.Serve immediately. Garnish with the crumbled bacon pieces and some chopped green onions.