Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

This one is from The Girl Who Ate Everything, and she adapted it from allrecipes.com.  I've made my own changes to make enough for two dinners.

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

6-8 cups peeled and diced potatoes

1 cup diced celery
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup carrot, diced or shredded
2 cup diced cooked ham (I just used some I had leftover in the freezer from the holidays)
6 cups chicken broth (or water & bouillon)
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
7-8 tablespoons butter
7-8 tablespoons all-purpose flour
 2+ cups milk

Directions:
1.Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, carrot, ham and chicken broth in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper.

2.In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk so that lumps don't form and until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.

3.Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through.

I often make the soup earlier in the day, then put it in the slow-cooker to keep warm until dinner.  Cornbread is delicious with this soup!