canning shelves 2014_opt_opt
Posts Archives
All posts with ham tag.
In , on February 13, 2016 with 3 Comments

Ham and Split Pea Soup

The only good thing about winter, in my opinion, is the fact that I can make soup whenever I want. It’s the perfect meal on a cold night, and I can get away with only dirtying one pot plus a couple of utensils and a cutting board. It makes dinnertime easy with few dishes to clean up afterwards.

I had some leftover ham in the fridge, and instead of making a potato and ham casserole, which I often do with my leftover ham, I decided to make some ham and split pea soup. The ham was simply leftover ham steak, but if you have smoked ham hocks, they are delicious in this recipe. After a trip to the Stringtown Store in Kalona a few weeks ago, I came home with split peas and other dried goodies, so it was time to use up the peas.




While most soup recipes include celery, I didn’t have any on hand tonight, but you can definitely add a couple stalks of chopped celery to this soup. Just saute the celery with the carrots and the onions at the beginning of the recipe. I also happen to love garlic, and whenever I see onion added to a recipe, I generally toss in a couple cloves of garlic. If your family isn’t crazy about garlic like mine is, you can leave it out, but garlic definitely adds another level of flavor to this soup.

This soup comes together pretty fast, as all you do is chop, saute and let everything simmer together until the peas, potatoes and carrots are nice and soft, which takes about 45 to 50 minutes to happen.

 

ham and split pea soup in bowls 2

 

Ham and Split Pea Soup

 

Extra-virgin olive oil

Half an onion, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 carrots, peeled and diced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced

3 cups diced ham (or use a couple of meaty ham hocks)

2 cups diced potatoes (I leave the skins on for, but you can peel them)

8 cups chicken stock (homemade is best, but Kitchen Basics makes a good unsalted version)

Fresh thyme sprigs

Freshly ground black pepper

 

In a large stockpot, generously drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil. On medium-high heat, saute the carrots, celery and onions for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic, and saute an additional minute, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock, diced ham, split peas, potatoes and a couple fresh thyme sprigs. Generously grind some black pepper into the soup, and stir to combine.

Let the soup simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the peas are soft. Stir, mashing the mixture against the side of the pot to create a bit of pea puree. Season to taste with salt and additional pepper, if necessary.

ham and split pea soup in pot 2

 

Food52 copper cookware image
Shop Great Gifts at Food52

Visit Canning and Cooking Iowa Style’s profile on Pinterest.

Continue Reading
In on February 10, 2016 with No Comments

Ham, Cheese and Spinach Quiche

I absolutely love breakfast and the variety of things you can make to eat. When we go out for breakfast, I typically order the same thing – an omelette loaded with as many goodies as they can stuff in there – but at home, I like to vary things up by making biscuits and gravy, quick muffins and even make-ahead French toast casseroles. One thing I’ve never tried, though, is a quiche, which is really odd when you think that everything I usually put in a breakfast casserole can be found in a typical quiche recipe. The only difference is the pie crust replaces the bread in the casserole.




I looked online at various ham and cheese quiche recipes, and since I already had some fresh spinach that needed to be used, I decided to make my own recipe by adding in additional veggies I had on hand. The inspiration for this quiche comes from What The Fork Food Blog, and then I just added the spinach and onions. You could change up the recipe to whatever leftovers you may have in your refrigerator – replace the ham with some cooked sausage. Change up the cheddar cheese to Swiss, which would pair nicely with ham and bacon. If it’s spring, throw in some fresh asparagus instead of spinach (I plan to try this when our asparagus patch is ready). Whatever combinations you try, you’ll end up with a tasty dish for breakfast or brunch. Or have this for an easy dinner. We paired it with French Onion Soup and some garlic bread – tasty way to eat quiche 🙂

 

ham, cheese and spinach quiche whole 2

 

Ham, Cheese and Spinach Quiche

1 9-inch pie crust (already blind baked for about 10 minutes)

1 cup diced ham

4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped fresh spinach

1/4 cup diced onion

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup milk

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Add the diced ham and bacon to the partially cooked pie crust, spreading evenly across the bottom. Add the diced onion and chopped fresh spinach on top of the meats.

In a small bowl, toss the cheese and flour together so the cheese is coated, and sprinkle this over everything in the pie crust.

In a large measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, the milk and the pepper. Pour mixture over the meat, cheese and veggies. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 50 minutes. When done, the middle will still be slightly jiggly, which will set up as it sits. Let the quiche sit for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

 

ham, cheese and spinach quiche half

 

ham, cheese and spinach quiche slice 2

Simplified Dinners for New Cooks

Visit Canning and Cooking Iowa Style’s profile on Pinterest.

Continue Reading
In , on January 19, 2016 with No Comments

Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Stuffed Shells

I’m always looking for new ways to use leftover ham. My go-to recipes are ham and beans, which my husband and sons love, and the usual scalloped potato and ham casserole. Tonight I decided to try something a little different. My family loves Italian-style stuffed pasta shells, so I decided to mix it up a little bit and use my leftover ham and broccoli. I think it was a success judging from the few shells left at the end of the meal. This is easy to make, and you can vary the types of cheese and even the veggies you want to use.

ham, cheese, broccoli shells plated

1 package jumbo pasta shells

2 cups leftover cooked ham, finely diced

1 package frozen broccoli, finely chopped

1 package ricotta cheese

1 egg

2 cups shredded Italian cheeses (I buy the prepackaged mix of Italian cheeses)

1 jar Alfredo sauce (or use homemade)

Fresh Parmesan cheese for grating

Salt and pepper to taste

 

In a large stockpot, cook the pasta shells according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, combine all the other ingredients (except for the Parmesan) in a large bowl, and mix until completely combined.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray 2 9 x 13-inch baking dishes with cooking spray. Stuff each cooked pasta shell with the ham and broccoli mixture, and place the shells in the baking dishes.

ham, cheese, broccoli shells - no sauce

 

Pour the Alfredo sauce over each shell. You don’t have to completely cover them, but make sure each shell has some sauce. Grate the Parmesan cheese evenly over all the shells.

 

ham, cheese, broccoli shells with sauce 2

Bake the shells for approximately 40 minutes, or until the cheese on top is nicely browned.

ham, cheese, broccoli shells baked 2

 

Yield:  About 6 servings (makes about 36 stuffed shells)

Simplified Dinners for New Cooks

Visit Canning and Cooking Iowa Style’s profile on Pinterest.

Continue Reading
In , on October 1, 2015 with No Comments

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Scalloped potatoes are a favorite in our house, and when you add ham to the dish, you have a meal ready to go in just about an hour. Casseroles are a good dinnertime option in our house, as I can prepare everything ahead of time, refrigerate if needed, and pop the dish in the oven once they guys get home from work.

 

 

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

4 cups sliced potatoes, sliced 1/2-inch thick (peeled or unpeeled – your choice)
2 cups diced ham
1/2 cup diced onion
6 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups half and half (or whole milk)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Place sliced potatoes and diced ham in the baking dish.

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat, and cook the onions until they are translucent. Add the flour, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the flour begins to turn a light brown color, stirring constantly to form a roux. Add the half and half (or milk) and the cheddar cheese, and stir until the mixture thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the cheese mixture over the potatoes and ham, and bake in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for approximately 60 to 70 minutes, or until the potatoes test done, and the casserole is browned and bubbly.

Continue Reading
In on September 14, 2015 with No Comments

Ham, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Bake

On the weekends I often make a breakfast casserole to make the morning meal a little easier to deal with, especially if the boys have guests overnight. A breakfast bake can be changed up with different meat ingredients, and we like to make this one that has ham. I’d made a loaf of homemade country white bread the day before, and leftover homemade bread is great in this recipe. This bake can be prepared the night before and kept in the refrigerator until you’re ready for breakfast, or make it a couple of hours ahead the same morning, allowing time for the bread to soak up some of the milk-egg mixture before you bake it.

 

Ham, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Bake

3 cups cubed white bread (leftover homemade or store bought is fine)
2 cups half and half or milk
10 eggs
2 cups diced ham
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. To the baking dish add the cubed white bread. Evenly sprinkle the diced ham and shredded cheddar cheese over the bread pieces.

In a large bowl, combine the half and half or milk, eggs, ground mustard, salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Pour the mixture over the bread, ham and cheese. Cover the casserole with foil. Refrigerate overnight (or 1-2 hours if making the same morning).

Bake the casserole, covered at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly and a knife inserted into the middle of the casserole tests clean.

Continue Reading
In , , on April 10, 2015 with No Comments

Days of Casseroles: Day 7 – Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

One of the recipes I found on Pinterest that I’ve been wanting to try is from Jo and Sue, a chicken cordon bleu casserole. I absolutely love chicken cordon bleu, but to make it the “traditional” way takes too much time for me these days. But I love the flavors, and when I saw this recipe on their blog, I knew I had to add it to my list of recipes to try during our experiment. And I was right – the family loved this and wants me to make it again 🙂

 

 

 

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

6 cups cooked chicken, diced
1 1/2 cups cooked ham, diced
8 slices Swiss cheese
4 1/2 tablespoons butter
4 1/2 tablespoons flour
3 1/4 cups milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
6 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dried parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken and ham evenly in the dish. Cover with Swiss cheese slices.

Melt the 4 1/2 tablespoons butter in a large pot. Add the flour to form a roux. Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Continue to whisk until the sauce starts to thicken, which takes about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the lemon juice, mustard, paprika, salt and pepper. Pour sauce over the casserole.

For the topping, combine the Panko bread crumbs, 6 1/2 tablespoons melted butter, seasoning salt and parsley. Sprinkle over the casserole.

Bake uncovered for 45 to 55 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Continue Reading
In , , , , on April 5, 2015 with No Comments

Days of Casseroles: Day 2…Cheesy Ham and Hash Brown Casserole…Plus Easy Cherry Cheesecake

Kevin got in some garden today, as he planted kohlrabi, radishes, peas and some lettuce. He also got the rhubarb transplanted, so while I might be out a rhubarb crisp this year, next year I should have plenty of tasty stalks to pick 🙂

The chickens were moved to the coop this past week too. We lost another chick before that, so we’re down to 52 little peepers. The rest are looking great, so in a few weeks, we’ll be up to our necks butchering.

Today’s casserole is a great way to use up that leftover Easter ham, and it works well as a brunch or dinner main dish.

 

 

Cheesy Ham and Hash Brown Casserole

1 2-pound package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/2 cup melted butter
2 cups chopped, cooked ham
1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 8-ounce container sour cream
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups crushed cornflakes
1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, combine hash browns, 1/2 cup melted butter, cream of chicken soup, ham, sour cream, chopped onion, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Mix well. Place mixture in a greased 3-quart casserole dish.

In a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup melted butter and crushed cornflakes until the cornflakes are coated. Sprinkle the mixture over the top of the casserole.

Bake covered at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes.

What’s an Easter dinner without dessert? While I generally make traditional cheesecakes, I was running short on time (as in the kids wanted to eat cheesecake today instead of letting it set overnight!). This is a good recipe when you’re in a hurry.

 

 

 

Easy Cherry Cheesecake

1 graham cracker pie crust
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 can cherry pie filling (or use your favorite flavor)

Beat cream cheese in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add sweetened condensed milk, and blend thoroughly. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Pour into pie crust.

Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours, or until firm. Top with chilled pie filling before serving.

Yield: 8 servings

Continue Reading