Canadian Cheese Soup and Ham Rolls

This was one of those weekends that you hate to have end.  We had a great time this weekend. 
Saturday, we went to get case goods and hay in town.  It was one of those beautiful blue sky days, and we enjoyed the fact that Riverton has no snow pack like we do.  It is still very snowy at our farm lease, and since we had some Chinook winds,  the snow melted and is pretty much just a skating pond in the lane and in the corrals.  It is so slick that when I went to back the trailer up after unloading the hay, I backed into the fence and popped off the staples in one section.  It's not that I didn't stop, I just kept sliding backwards even though the brakes were on. 
In our local market, they have a case lot sale every January.  We stock up on vegetables and all kinds of canned beans.  I have to admit, I love case lot sales.  When we get home, I can arrange it all, and have full shelves for the next year.  It's a great feeling to know we are provided for. I always loved playing store when I was little, I guess it is like that for me now, too!
Sunday, we went to Pavillion to the Philleos house.  Don had a colt that he needed to put a first ride on, and there were several other people there to get help with their cutting.  It was sunny but cold, and we had a wonderful time.  Our horses got exposed to a little cutting practice, and Don got a great first ride on his little colt, with the help of JD Philleo.
My friend Sammi served up some yummy beef stew for lunch with homemade fry bread, and I brought a roaster full of ham rolls.
It was dinner time when we got home, and so I made a quick pot of cheese soup.  It is a fifteen minute meal, and I have two quarts left over for lunches this week.

Ham Rolls

Ham rolls are not really what I'd call a recipe.  You get one of those half a boneless ham packages in the grocery, and put it through the meat grinder on the larger grind setting.  Then you grind about two and a half pounds of cheese, a whole peeled onion,  and 1 cup of pickles (I used bread and butters).  To this mixture,  you add 1/2 C grainy mustard, and 2 C mayonnaise.  This is great filling, and also great served at parties on crackers, or as lunch meat in sandwiches. 
I grew up on this recipe, only we used roast beef, ground bologna or wild game in place of the ham.  We called it "lunch meat", and it was what our sandwiches were made of. 
To make ham rolls, I purchase hard rolls from my local bakery, and with my index fingers, open up a pocket in the end of the roll so I can spoon in the ham lunch meat filling.  It's like making a jelly doughnut.  Then they get wrapped in foil, and put in the roaster or oven at 350*F for half an hour, or just until the filling gets hot enough to melt the cheese and crisp the bread.  This makes enough filling for about three dozen hamburger bun size hard rolls, so it is great at family gatherings, or for branding crews.  You can make the rolls hours ahead of time, and just turn on the roaster at the last minute.  I make them when Don teaches a clinic for the participants.

Canadian Cheese Soup

1pkg Canadian bacon diced (about 4-5 pieces)
1 bag frozen potatoes O'Brien
1 onion sliced
4 jalapeno peppers seeded and diced
2 tsp chicken and tomato bullion
1 large package Velveeta cheese cut into chunks
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, saute onions, bacon and jalapenos in oil.  Add frozen potatoes and enough water to cover, about 4 cups.  Add bullion and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer, and add cubed cheese, stirring until the cheese is all melted.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.