Is there anything better than a hash for breakfast? No, I don’t think so. Hash is just the perfect southern comfort food breakfast. It’s simple, filling (pretty much the way you want to start your day), and most importantly delicious. I’ve come to love a good hash for breakfast over the years, especially during the holidays.

Because if you’re anything like me, mornings get hectic around holidays (or any time of year really). Going out for breakfast is just not going to happen. You’re trying to get everyone to go to church, the tree needs to be decorated, presents need to be wrapped, and on and on. So on most days, I’m left scrambling to get things done and figure out what everyone is going to eat.

A good old fashioned hash is the perfect make ahead breakfast to have on hand. It can be prepared the night before, or early in the morning (if you’re up and at ’em early) and then popped in the oven when you’re ready. You can top it with eggs, or go with a side of biscuits, or just eat it by itself. No matter how you prepare a hash, you’re going to love it!

I’ve been making this one for years. It started out as a brown sugar hash, but then I started adding a few ingredients to kick things up a notch and make it a little more special. The ham adds some great flavor and texture to the hash and the cream cheese just adds a little something extra. If you’re a fan of a good cream cheese dish, as in cheesecake or mac n’ cheese, you may just love this one.

I’ll warn you that this is a fairly basic hash. So it might not be the best choice if you’re looking for a lot of flavor and spice. But if you like a good, old fashioned hash, then this is the one for you!

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds (1 kg) ground beef

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped onion

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped green bell pepper

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped red bell pepper

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped celery

• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) Worcestershire sauce

• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt

• 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) dried thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) dried oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) dried basil

• 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) dried parsley

• 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) hot pepper sauce

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) cold butter

Instructions:

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, onion, green and red bell pepper, and celery. Drain off any fat.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients except the flour and butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the flour and butter until well blended.
5. Add the flour mixture to the beef mixture and stir until well blended.
6. Return to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
7. Reduce heat and simmer for an additional 5 minutes, stirring constantly.