Found this handwritten recipe tucked in my late aunt's church cookbook. One pot, almost no effort, and it feeds the whole family for days.

This slow cooker 4-ingredient ham and potato soup is exactly the kind of recipe I imagine my aunt scribbling down on a church potluck flyer and tucking into her cookbook. It’s the definition of one-pot, almost-no-effort comfort food: you toss everything into the slow cooker before work, and by dinnertime you’ve got a big batch of thick, creamy, pale yellow soup loaded with tender potatoes and pink ham. It makes a huge amount, so it’s perfect for feeding a hungry family for days, or for stocking the fridge with easy reheat-and-eat lunches.

Serve this soup straight from the slow cooker with a generous crack of black pepper on top. It’s perfect with warm crusty bread, dinner rolls, or even buttered toast for dipping into the creamy broth. A simple green salad or steamed frozen veggies on the side will round out the meal without adding extra work. Leftovers reheat well in the microwave or on the stovetop, so it’s great for packing in a thermos for work or school lunches the next day.

Servings: 8-10

3 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Add the cubed potatoes to the slow cooker, spreading them out in an even layer on the bottom.

Sprinkle the diced ham evenly over the potatoes.

Pour the chicken broth and half-and-half (or whole milk) over the top. Gently stir to combine everything without mashing the potatoes.

Season with the salt and black pepper, then cover the slow cooker with the lid.

Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the potatoes are very tender and the soup is hot and steamy.

Once the potatoes are soft, use a potato masher or the back of a spoon to lightly mash some of the potatoes right in the slow cooker. This will naturally thicken the soup and give it that creamy, pale yellow, chowder-like look while still leaving plenty of chunky potatoes and ham.

Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. If the soup is thicker than you like, stir in a splash of extra broth or milk; if it’s thinner than you’d like, let it cook uncovered on HIGH for another 15-20 minutes to reduce slightly.

Ladle the soup into bowls and finish with an extra sprinkle of black pepper on top. Keep the slow cooker on WARM so everyone can come back for seconds throughout the evening.

To keep the spirit of the original 4-ingredient, handwritten church cookbook recipe, the base stays very simple, but you can still tweak it a bit. For extra richness, swap 1 cup of the half-and-half for heavy cream, or stir in a small handful of shredded cheddar cheese at the end until melted. If you prefer a slightly lighter soup, use 2% milk and skip mashing quite as many potatoes so it stays a bit brothy. For more flavor without adding much effort, toss in a bay leaf or a pinch of dried thyme at the start, then fish out the bay leaf before serving. You can also stretch the soup even further by adding an extra cup of broth and another potato or two. If you’re cooking ahead, this is a great meal prep recipe: make the full batch on Sunday, cool it completely, and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of milk or broth if it thickens in the fridge. Leftovers also freeze well in single-serve containers for easy future lunches; just thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.