Tese days more than ever we need to learn to stretch our food budgets and reduce waste. One of these ways is to cook one larger cut of meat and find ways to use what is left after the initial meal.
At Easter, I made a ham shank. It didn’t look big but there was a lot of meat on that sucker. We had slices of ham for Easter.
One of my daughters ( and husbands) favorite meals is hash browns with ham and eggs.
to make this you need one bag of shredded hash brown potatoes thawed and drained.
2 cups of shredded or diced ham (bacon or sausage work too)
If you like onion chop about a quarter cup or so. My daughter doesn’t like it so I substitute onion flakes or onion powder about a teaspoon.
1 Tsp garlic powder
1/8 cup olive oil or meat grease.
salt and pepper to taste.
4-6 eggs ( I use 6)
Get out a large skillet and heat till hot add oil and get hot I using onion add onion and saute a minute, until translucent. Add potatoes and season. add meat and mix well. Pat down and let brown well on one side. flip over and let brown on this side. when the bottom is nice and crispy and brown crack the eggs over the top break yolks and cut into the potatoes. flip over and let cook until done carefully not to burn the eggs.
serve 4. serve with catsup and your favorite hot sauce or sriracha. Aside of gravy and biscuits makes it a comfort meal.
Another dish I make with Ham is cheesy scalloped potatoes and ham.
6 potatoes peeled and sliced thin. parboil till fork tender or cook in the microwave till fork tender with salt
chop about 2 cups of ham
1 cup of mozzarella cheese 2 cups cheddar save about 1/4 to top shredded
1 cup of crushed french fried onions (or breadcrumbs)
basic white sauce
2 cups milk1/4 cup butter melted
scant 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
while potatoes are cooking set oven to 400. Chop ham Shred cheese and begin the sauce.
To make sauce melt butter add flour and cook a couple minutes add seasoning and milk using a whisk stir until thick and not lumpy add cheeses and melt. remove from heat. you may need more milk to thin it enough to pour evenly over layers.
now butter a medium size baking dish. spread a very thin layer of the cheese sauce over the bottom. Spread a layer of potatoes sprinkle with ham repeat and end with a layer of potatoes with a layer of sauce. Bake 15 minutes.or until heated through and bubbly. Sprinkle onions on top bake five minutes sprinkle cheese on top and bake two to three minutes.
serve 4-6 great with a salad or steamed frozen green peas.
During the summer we love to have a small ham around. When I catch a sale like now. I will grab one cut some ham slices wrap and freeze for ham steaks. Chop some up for the above casseroles. and also have some cut up in bowls in the fridge handy for omelets.
In the summer one of our go-to meals on a hot day is a fresh egg omelet with veggies or just meat and cheese. You can use ham, sausage or bacon. if you’re not good at a rolled omelet… just scramble it all together add cheese and there ya go!
Of course, ham and cheese sandwiches are always good and so is ham salad with the rest. I cut it all up toss in my bullet with some mayo and an egg and there we go.
Here is a great Ham slider recipe
Don’t forget about the bone. Toss it in a pot of beans. Not a bean fan? Use it for soup. make a great broth and the bits and pieces that fall off are delectable.
How do you use up your ham? do you use the bone as well? whats your favorite tip on making ahead meals?
2 responses to “Ham it up. #cookonceeatmore #makeahead #awriterslife #leftovers”
That dish looks SO GOOD. Love the hambone guy. He’s awesome.
I loved the hambone. My grandpa actually did this and it was so fun. I never got very good LOl