Easy Ham and Hashbrown Soup Recipe

Thanksgiving is over and we have some leftover ham. That is how I came up with this Easy Ham and Hashbrown Soup Recipe. There is also a half an onion that needs to be used up, a bit of garlic, a half of a bag of cheese, and some bacon bits. What on earth can I do? That was my thought process yesterday when I made this. I knew I had class for two hours starting at five, so it had to be a crockpot recipe. Also, I have my granddaughter so it was necessary for it to be super quick.

We love potato soup, but frying bacon and cutting potatoes was not on my agenda. I guess it wouldn’t have been on it anyway because I had no bacon and I am out of potatoes. Bart was going to make pizza but then what would the kids eat because there isn’t enough of that to go around. With one child being gluten free, I have to actually think about what I cook now. It can’t just be thrown together. So, here we are with what Bart calls one of the “best soups” he has had in a while.

Ingredients for Ham and Hashbrown Soup

1/2 KY legend ham, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1 T. minced garlic

Seasoning

1/2 bag bacon bits

2 T. bacon grease (if you don’t have this, just throw in some butter)

6 cubes of chicken bouillon (if you don’t have this, you can use chicken broth and eliminate the water)

32 oz. water

1/8 c. nutritional yeast (you can omit this if you desire. I use it for nutritional value)

32 oz. shredded hashbrown

1/2 c. sour cream

1 c. heavy cream (I did not have this so I used 2% milk and it worked just fine)

3 T. gluten free flour (you can use any)

Cheese (I used a combo of about 1 1/2 c. colby and about a cup of cheddar)

Directions for Easy Soup Recipe

In crockpot, I put in the chopped up ham, onion, seasoning, nutritional yeast, bacon grease, bacon bits, hashbrown, and chicken bouillon powder (or cubes if that is what you have). I mixed this up really well and added 32 oz. water. Pop the lid on and cook on high for about 2 hours. I came back and stirred that around and then put it on low until I was about an hour from eating.

When I was about ready to serve, I took the lid off and added the cheese. While the cheese was melting, I got a measuring cup and put in my milk, sour cream, and flour. I whisked that together to get the lumps out. From there, I poured in the liquid and stirred well. You will start to see it thicken up fairly quickly. I put the lid back on for about 35-40 minutes (low) warm it all back up.

Then it was time to eat! It really was good. You need to try it to see if you need to adjust the seasoning. Remember, you can add seasoning to a soup but you can’t take it back out. The secret to that is start with a little amount and adjust to taste. I was afraid it was going to be too salty with the ham, bacon grease, nutritional yeast, and seasoning. I thought it could use a bit more but didn’t put it in because it might have just been my tastebuds out of whack.

What I Would Do Differently

Hmmm, I would add some sauteed red, yellow, and orange peppers. I could get away with adding finely shredded zucchini. Fresh mushrooms would have been amazing in this soup as well. There was no cream of type of soup. That is good because it is hard to find gluten free, though it can be made. I just didn’t want to do that because of time constraints. It made a big crockpot full, so we will definitely have it for lunch and the boys will eat it tonight for supper.

Happiness Versus Joy

Recipes and Cooking

Easy White Chicken Chili with Cream Cheese

April 29, 2020April 4, 2025 Brandi C

Easy White Chicken Chili with Cream Cheese

I tried something out of my wheelhouse with this Easy White Chicken Chili with Cream Cheese. It was a HIT! Big Daddy loved it and didn’t want me to change a thing, which is huge. I did this in my Instant Pot, but you can do it on the stovetop.

Ingredients

3 cans of chicken, drained (you can boil and chop chicken breasts)

1 onion

Garlic

Seasoning

Oregano

Cayenne

Paprika

Cumin

Oil

**Coriander (I didn’t have this)

**Cilantro (I did not have this, so I didn’t use it. I don’t like Cilantro anyway)

1 can of green chiles

2 cans of white beans, drained

Chicken bouillon

Water

Cream Cheese

Monterey Jack

Directions

I added just a bit of oil to the instant pot to keep it from sticking. Then, I added the 3 cans of chicken, garlic, and onion. I sauteed until the onion was tender. Next, I added the spices, green chiles, white beans, and chicken bouillon (I used the powder and mixed it with the water. You can use chicken stock). I mixed it well while it was still in saute mode. Next up, I mixed the cream cheese and let it melt—lastly, about 6 c. water.

I put the lid on and put on “soup” mode for about 15 minutes. Once that beeps, I do a quick release. That’s when I add the Monterey jack cheese. Just stir that up until it is melted.

Now, For the Tricky Part

So, you can put 1 c. of white beans in a food processor, with a bit of the broth to puree it. Add that to your soup to thicken it up. Some people may like it more broth-y and just let it be. I put both cans of beans in and added some instant potato flakes to thicken the soup. You can also put some cornstarch in cold water, bring the soup to a boil, add the cornstarch mixture and mix till it thickens.

Lots of options. It was good!

Recipes and Cooking

Spin-on Tortellini Soup

April 11, 2020April 4, 2025 Brandi C

Spin-on Tortellini Soup

I love Tortellini Soup. Love it. So, today, as I was getting the stuff out of my pantry, I thought I would create a Spin-on Tortellini Soup. The broth is excellent! I did this in my instant pot, but it can be done on the stove.

Caution of warning, do not put your milk-based items in the soup before you seal the soup. You put that in AFTER it is done cooking, releasing the pressure. I made that mistake once, and I will never make it again.

Ingredients

Kielbasa quartered

Onion, chopped

Fresh garlic, chopped

Spinach, chopped (or kale)

Seasoning

Italian Seasoning

1 can cream of mushroom

6 tsp chicken bouillon paste

1/2 c. sour cream

2 cans of tomato sauce

1 Tbsp sugar

Water

Directions

In Instant Pot, saute the garlic, onion, kielbasa, and seasoning mix. Add a bit of water if it starts sticking to the pan. Once that is done, add in cream of mushroom soup; I think I did about 6 tsp of chicken bouillon paste. I will say, at this point, I added the sour cream and mixed it well. It did not explode, so that is a good thing. Then, I added the tomato sauce and the sugar. Next, add chopped spinach and Italian seasoning. I added enough water to thin it out just a little bit. You can always add more water towards the end.

Place on the lid, and move the lever to the “seal” position. I hit the soup function and adjusted it to 10 minutes. Once that is done, I did a quick release. I stirred everything well and tasted the broth to ensure the seasonings were good. A good rule of thumb is to start small. You can always add more, but you can’t ever take the salt out of something.

Bechamel Sauce

3 T. butter

Flour, 3 T.

Melt together while whisking.

Add a cup of heavy cream, and continue to whisk while on medium heat. The flour will thicken up. Once it was thick, I added in about 2 c. of cheddar. Stir well until it is all combined.

From this point, I added some broth to the bechamel pan. I did this to thin it out and make it to that it would incorporate easier into the soup.

Once incorporated and stirred, I added it to the soup.

Cue the angels, singing.

Tortellini

I cook these in a separate pot. I feel the tortellini get too mushy if I do the tortellini in the instant pot. Doing this serves a dual purpose. I boil the water, season it, and scoop out my tortellini. You can keep the starchy pasta in water. I add them to my Instant pot, and if I need additional water, I use the hot starchy water I cooked my tortellini in.

It’s good, people.

Recipes and Cooking

Lasagna Soup

September 8, 2018April 5, 2025 Brandi C

Lasagna Soup

This lasagna soup is a great twist on a classic comfort food, and it’s so easy to make in the Instant Pot! With its rich tomato flavor, tender noodles, and creamy cheese, it feels like you’re enjoying a warm, cheesy lasagna but in soup form. The ground beef, kale, and green peppers add a savory, hearty base, and the addition of cream of mushroom soup and chicken bouillon really enhances the flavor. Top it off with sour cream and a sprinkle of parmesan, and you’ve got a delicious, filling meal that the whole family will love. Perfect for busy nights!

2 pounds of ground beef

1 onion, chopped

2 c. kale, chopped

2 green peppers, chopped

In an instant pot, brown these all together with seasoning and drain.

Mix beef mixture, basil, oregano, and Italian Seasoning in the same pot. Then add in 2 cans of diced tomatoes (I pureed these up because Big Daddy does “not like chunks”), the equivalent of one can of cream of mushroom (can either use canned or make your own GF version). Next, add 4 chicken bouillon cubes, 32 oz—of water, and lasagna noodles (I used about 6) that are broken up.
Turn on the manual for 15 minutes.
Quick-release.
Check noodles and put them back on manual, if needed.
Add 1 c. milk, 2 c. cheddar cheese, and 1/2 c. sour cream.
Stir well and serve with parmesan.

What Do You Want To Do?

Recipes and Cooking

Gluten-Free Beef Scalloped Potato Casserole

September 7, 2018April 5, 2025 Brandi C

Gluten-Free Beef Scalloped Potato Casserole

Oh, this Gluten-Free Beef Scalloped Potato Casserole is so good! I have also used a roast that I had cut up and marinated. It was equally as good!

2 pounds ground beef cooked with chopped-up onion and some seasoning.

Once that is cooked up, drain. Add in 1 c. beef broth or vegetable broth. Sprinkle over 2 Tablespoons gluten-free flour. Stir until it is thick.

Place this in a greased 13×9 dish.

Cut up some fresh mushrooms and sprinkle them over top of beef.

Next, cut some kale (can use spinach) and sprinkle it over mushrooms. Add a bit of seasoning.

Grate up some smoked gouda cheese (you can use any cheese, this is just what I had on hand).

Scalloped Potatoes

Take 8 small-medium-sized potatoes. Peel and Wash. Use a mandolin to slice them up very thin. In an instant pot, put potatoes and add enough water to cover the top of the potatoes. I also added 3 tsp. Gluten-free chicken bouillon cubes. Manual for 2 minutes. Quick pressure release and drain.

Layer on top of kale. Add some seasoning and thyme. Place 1 c. milk, 1/2 stick of butter, and the rest of your gouda cheese in a pot. Allow to melt, and then pour over your potatoes.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, then place under the broiler for about 5 minutes to crisp up the cheese.

It was yummy!

Side Note:

I will say that I have made this several times. I have substituted the ground beef for chicken, as well as ham. The recipe was delicious, no matter the meat used. You can also substitute homemade scalloped potatoes for the boxed kind, though that doesn’t do much for me. I try to stay away from processed food as much as possible. You could also sneak in shred-up zucchini or squash for even more nutrients. These items take on the taste of whatever you are cooking.

Focus On the Step In Front of You

Recipes and Cooking

Gluten-Free Chicken and Noodle Soup

August 30, 2018April 5, 2025 Brandi C

Gluten-Free Chicken and Noodle Soup

Screaming Moment

Have you ever had one of those days where you want to run down the road naked, screaming at the top of your lungs? Enter Gluten-Free Chicken and Noodle Soup cause it is my jam. Well, any soup, for that matter. It, quite literally, soothes my soul.

Yep, I had one.

As an illustration, my day started with a butt through a wall.

As well as some nosy Nellies.

Add a splash of liars.

Tears.

Confessions.

Manual labor.

Saturday in a Nutshell: Fall Recipe

We did, for fun and all, add in some ticks, fits, crap in pants, paint, a mini-remodel (because of the butt issue), and a battle between a tree and a child.

Cause what a Saturday would be without all that fun?

Oh, I forgot that we start school (on the 24th), and I lost ALL my notes, schedules, and curriculum.

So, there’s that.

At 7:30 pm, my sweet (not so much sweet on this day, but a bit salty) H said he was hungry. I forgot to cook :/

I was so busy micromanaging misbehaving kids, working on the bathroom, doing some spot cleaning, and doing schoolwork prep. It just slipped my mind.

So, here is what I threw together because I had nothing else in the house to fix, and we did not want to eat out.

Gluten-Free Chicken and Noodle Soup

One bag of Tyson pre-cooked diced chicken (again, all I had, and it was frozen)

Minced onions

Seasoning

Cream cheese

2 c. Monterey jack cheese

Splash of milk

Rice spaghetti noodles

Broccoli (gotta get those veggies in)

Chicken stock (GF)

I put stock, chicken, seasoning, and minced onions in the instant pot (sniffing up 8 pm) and set it on soup for 12 minutes.

To save time, I started the water for the noodles and cut up the large pieces of broccoli. I also had A shred my cheese because pre-shredded cheese is processed, which is no Bueno.

When the instant pot was done, I quickly released the pressure. I added a splash of milk, the cheese, and then cut-up broccoli. I did turn it back on manual for 2 minutes to soften up the broccoli.

By the time that was done, my noodles were done. I drained them and put them in the soup.

Voila.

It is finished.

Thank. Goodness.

Tag: family-friendly meal