Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

 

   Once again, I have a lot to do today, so I’m turning to my trusty slow cooker for dinner. (Seriously, if you don’t own a slow cooker, what are you even doing with your life?) Anyway, I saw this recipe from Good Vibes Cooking, and I thought “There’s no way this could be bad”,  and I knew it would be an easy meal for a busy Saturday or Sunday. Plus, I already had all of the ingredients, so this was a no brainer. Added bonus, we’re still having some brisk Spring nights, so a casserole still hits the spot, especially one as delicious as this one!!! Just set it up around mid day, and boom, one less this to worry about! Serve it with a salad or a fresh green veggie, and dinner is sorted. Easy, right? I think I need to keep this one in the rotation. (wait.. I say that every time I find a new recipe... but I really mean it this time!)

If you love a creamy cheesy chicken casserole, you must give this one a try!
 

 

 
2-3 boneless chicken breasts or thighs
8 oz diced ham
8 oz sliced Swiss cheese
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbs Dijon mustard
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 pkg Stove Top stuffing mix, any flavor
1/2 stick butter

Cut up chicken and add to a crock pot along with the diced ham.
Place slices of Swiss cheese over the meat in one layer.
In a small mixing bowl, stir together the soup, cream, mustard, and seasonings. 
Spread over the cheese layer. Sprinkle dry stuffing over the cream mixture. Dot with butter. 

Full disclosure, I kept the recipe the same but I did tweak the cooking time ever so slightly. The original recipe said to cook it for 6 hours on low. It’s been my experience that the rule for cooking chicken in the crock pot is 2 hours on HIGH, or 4 hours on LOW. That’s it. Chicken just doesn’t need that long to cook!!  I know I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it every time because it’s worth repeating. Otherwise you’d wind up with dry rubbery chicken. And no one wants that!



Tips:
 This is one of those recipes where the amounts are just guidelines. So I didn’t really fuss with each ingredient. I used the whole package of 4 pieces of chicken, I’m sure I used more than 8 oz of ham, definitely more than 8 oz of cheese, the seasonings were to taste, and I KNOW I used more than a half stick of butter. I also swapped brown mustard for the Dijon, I added a little extra cream, and I bet you could use half and half instead of the heavy cream. You do you! I’m sure it will turn out fine as long as you don’t overcook it! One thing, though.. if you'll notice, there's no salt in the recipe. That's because the ham and the stuffing mix have quite enough. If you add any more it would be too salty. I only mention this because my Dad used to fix his plate for dinner and then proceed to put salt and pepper over everything, even before he took his first bite, and it would drive my Mom crazy. She would say "it's already seasoned!" So, yeah. Don't add any extra salt. Doesn't need it!
I’m guessing you could easily bake this in the oven instead of a crock pot. Just assemble it in a casserole dish and bake it at 350º for about 30 minutes. Easy!

Baked Pulled Ham

  Lately I've been finding a lot of my cooking inspiration from tiktok videos and FB reels. I'll be the first to admit that it's REALLY easy to go down that rabbit hole and watch video after video. But every so often, I'll see a recipe and IMMEDIATELY know that I want to try it. 

 Such was the case when I saw one of my favorites, Nicole from All Recipes, making a baked pulled ham. What is a pulled ham, you ask? Well, it's just like a BBQ pork that is slowly cooked for several hours until it literally falls apart. But instead of starting with an uncooked pork shoulder, it starts with a fully cooked ham. It's salty to start out, but when you add some sweet and spicy sauce, it's absolutely delish! It's the perfect thing to make if you're feeding a crowd and it would be FABULOUS for your next special event. Are you making a ham for Easter Dinner? Are you having a summer party? Holiday open house? This would be just the thing! And you can do the whole thing a day or two in advance, which gives you the freedom of having an available oven for side dishes and such. Perfect!

 But here's the thing... just as always, I couldn't leave well enough alone, and I kind of tweaked the original recipe. After trying it as written the first time (pictured, lots of BBQ sauce), I went back and swapped out a few ingredients and changed a few of the amounts. Feel free to do the same thing if you feel so inclined. The method stays exactly the same, but make it the way you like it! It'll be a big hit!

 

 

 

1 10-12 LB bone-in ham (not spiral sliced)

Brown mustard

Splash of liquid smoke

Brown sugar rub (recipe follows)
1 cup ginger ale, not diet
1 cup pineapple jam

2 tbs BBQ sauce 

Preheat the oven to 275º F.

Use enough mustard to slather the ham on all sides. I didn't measure, but if I had to guess, it would be maybe 1/2 cup, give or take. Stir mustard and liquid smoke together in a small bowl. Rub mustard mixture evenly over ham and sprinkle barbecue rub all over. Place ham in a large disposable pan or large deep roasting pan. Pour ginger ale around ham. Cover tightly with foil.
Bake for 2 hours. Remove pan from oven.
Increase oven temperature to 300ºF.
Stir pineapple jam and BBQ sauce together in a bowl; pour mixture over ham and spread evenly. Cover tightly with foil.
Bake for another 5 to 6 hours or until a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of ham reads 205ºF.  
Let stand until ham is cool enough to handle. Shred ham with 2 forks, making sure to remove bone and excess fat.  Toss pulled meat with pan drippings.

 

 

 

 One other thing.. they didn't specify what spice rub to use, so I just threw this one together. I didn't even measure anything... just threw everything in. If there's a specific rub you like, use it!

 

About 1/2 cup brown sugar

a sprinkle of each:

smoked paprika

garlic powder

onion powder

salt and pepper 

 

 

 

Tips:   

 Full disclosure, the first time I made it, I added chili powder to the rub, so it was definitely a BARBECUE pulled ham, but you can make it however you like it. Do you want it to be sweet? Add more brown sugar and jam.  Do you want it to be more tangy? Choose a tangy BBQ sauce. Do you like it smokey and spicy? Add cayenne pepper or chili powder. Don't like pineapple? Choose another fruit jam. Don't like ginger ale? Use any other kind of soda as long as it's not diet. You can really go in any direction with it! 

Don't have any liquid smoke? Use more smoked paprika! or just leave it out. 

Don't want it to be spicy or smokey? Leave out the spice rub altogether! Just brush it with mustard  and sprinkle a little brown sugar over the top for the first 2 hours, then glaze with the BBQ sauce/ jam mixture for the rest of the baking time. Easy!

Ham and Pea Pasta Salad

Here's a recipe I saw Miss Lori making on Whippoorwill Holler, (one of my favorite youtube channels.) Of course, I kind of tweaked the amounts here and there, and I may or may not have added a little extra seasoning, but it's basically the same as it was written. It's really the perfect recipe for a big BBQ because you can make it the day before, and it feeds about a million people. Tweak it however you like, add more/less or omit any of the ingredients as you prefer, and season it to taste. Easy peasy. Literally! 

Thanx again, Miss Lori!

1 lb box elbow macaroni, cooked
3 hard boiled eggs, diced
2 green onions, minced
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 large rib celery, finely diced
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1 cup diced ham, or more if desired
1 can water chestnuts, chopped
1 cup mayo, or more as needed
Salt and pepper to taste
Sprinkle of fresh dill
1 packet Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
Crumbled bacon on top, if desired

After you prep all the ingredients, just place everything in a big mixing bowl and give it a good toss. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Top with bacon just before serving, if desired.

 

 

 

 Tips:
If you make it the day before, just store it covered in the fridge, and then give it another stir before you serve it, adding a little more mayo, if needed.
No, you do not have to cook the frozen peas. Just thaw them. Since they're flash steamed before they're frozen, they're ready to eat!
For a little extra zing, add one or two tbs of brown mustard. You wont really taste it, but it will make everything taste brighter!

 

 

What the Fig Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

 Here's an easy little 'picky uppy" finger food that you should add to your repertoire. It's an easy do-ahead for a party, and they're always a big hit!

 It's just my own little variation of a Pillsbury recipe. I added a little fig jam to balance with the salty ham, and the result was magic! I made them for Carly and Christopher's housewarming party and everyone loved them! They would also be perfect for a Brunch, or even just a quiet movie night.

You really can't go wrong with Pillsbury, can you?? Give 'em a try!

 

 

 

1 can crescent rolls or full crescent dough sheets 

4 thin slices Swiss cheese or American cheese

4 slices deli sliced ham

2-3 tbs fig jam

 

 

Heat oven to 375°F. 

Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray, or line with cooking parchment paper. Unroll dough sheet onto large cutting board; press into 12x8-inch rectangle. If using crescent rolls, unroll and press into 12x8-inch rectangle, pressing seams together. Using an offset spatula, spread with a VERY thin layer of fig jam over the dough, leaving 1/2-inch border on each of the short ends. Top the jam with cheese and ham slices. Starting on short edge of rectangle, roll up tightly and pinch seam together. With serrated knife, cut into 8 slices, about 1 inch wide. Arrange on cookie sheet. Bake 17 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

 

 

 

Tips:

Be sure to choose a salty deli ham. If you use a honey ham or something on the sweeter side, it might wind up being too sweet with the jam. 

Don't like figs? Use a different kind of jam, or just omit it! The original Pillsbury recipe said to drizzle the baked pinwheels with honey, but the jam was what I had on hand! Not a fan of salty and sweet? Go completely savory! Try some sliced roast beef and pepper jack cheese. Or maybe ham, cheddar, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes! You do you!

The parchment paper is key! Don't forget it! Otherwise, your pinwheels will stick from all the jammy goodness.  

This only makes 8 pinwheels. Baking for a crowd? Do several batches!

Joey's Fusilli Col Buco with Ham and Peas

  I was recently looking for fun and different ways of using up some leftover ham, and I saw a recipe for pasta with ham and peas. This was exactly they type of thing I was looking for, and honestly, my first thought was "oooo I bet that would hit the spot!"
 Of course, I didn't exactly follow the recipe, and I sort of made it my own, adding some onions and white wine, etc. The result was very possibly one of the best pasta dishes I've ever made. Like, EVER. I'm not even kidding! After having a big pasta bowl of it, I immediately texted my brother with a picture, saying "want some?" He texted me back later that night saying that it was SOOOO good!
 I'm not sure if it was the wine, or the cream, or the grated cheese.. but it definitely all came together perfectly. And one of the things that I really love about it is that the flavor of the peas really comes through. It was just the perfect sweetness to go with the saltiness of the ham and the Parmesan cheese. And it was ready in as little time as it took to boil the pasta. Perfect!
I might need to add this to my weeknight dinner repertoire. You should too!



1 lb fusilli
4 tbs butter
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups diced ham
4 tbs flour
2 cups milk
1 cup cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more
Splash or two of white wine
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley

  In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook fusilli according to package directions until al dente.
Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions. Saute until they soften, but don't let them go so far as to brown. Add diced ham and garlic and continue to saute for a few more minutes. Add flour. Stir for 2-3 minutes until everything is well coated. Add milk, cream, and grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to stir and simmer over medium low heat until the sauce thickens. Stir in a splash or two of white wine and then add frozen peas. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Drain cooked pasta and toss with sauce. Top with fresh parsley and more Parmesan cheese.




Tips:
If the sauce becomes too thick, the wine will thin it out a little. If it's REALLY thick, add a splash of water until it's the right consistency.
Be sure you aggressively salt the pasta water. Like, two big HANDFULS of salt should do it. You want the water to taste salty like the ocean.
Use whatever pasta you have on hand! I just happened to like the long spirals, so that's what I chose!
Don't like ham, use chunk of boneless chicken instead! You could even use shrimp! oh YUM!

Joey's Straight Up Ham and Bean Casserole

 Ok, first of all, I need to tell you how much I love baked beans. Any kind, any recipe, home made or canned, I love them all. Sweet, smokey, savory, LOVE LOVE LOVE. In fact, over the years, I've kind of become a little bit famous for My Baked Beans, thank you very much. And ever since I came up with that recipe, I've been wanting to twist it into a fabulous new something to give me a new excuse to make baked beans.
 Years ago, I saw Trisha Yearwood making her Baked Bean Casserole, and I thought, ok, THIS is the kind of thing I want to do. But there are SO many directions to go with it! My brain was all over the place asking friends and family what ingredients I should add and what they thought sounded the best.
 And then one day, I was texting with my BBQ-award-winning nephew, Daniel, and we were discussing the possibilities. When I described it to him, we both immediately decided that there was a lot going on. And then I remembered how fashion icon Coco Channel was famous for saying "before you go out, take off one accessory." Basically, I needed to Coco Chanel my recipe. It was too busy, too many accessories! So I went back to what I had ORIGINALLY pictured in my head. And this is it!
No fancy techniques, no swanky bells or whistles, it's just straight up ham and bean casserole. A few aromatics to build on and a few potatoes to satisfy the hungriest of appetites, and you have a hearty dish that can serve as a meal on its own, or a fabulous side dish at your next BBQ.
Hope you like it!



2 tbs oil
1 small onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups diced fully cooked ham
1 lb baby red or gold potatoes, uncooked, halved or quartered
1 28 oz canned baked beans

1 cup ketchup

2 tbs brown mustard

1/2 cup pure maple syrup
a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
chopped scallions for garnish



Heat oven to 350ºF.
Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onions, peppers, garlic, and diced ham. Saute until the vegetables become soft and the ham gets a little color.
In the meantime, place the remaining ingredients except the cheese and scallions in a large mixing bowl. Add the ham mixture to it. Stir until everything is well combined. Pour into a large casserole or a 9x13 dish. Place in oven and bake for about 40 minutes. Test to make sure the potatoes are done. Carefully remove from oven, top with shredded cheese. Place back into oven for an additional 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven. Top with chopped scallions and serve!




Tips:
If you'd like to include all the bells and whistles, here are a few possible variations/substitutions:
Bacon or sausage in addition to (or instead of) the ham.
Add a cup of crushed pineapple.
Add a minced jalapeno, or a few pinches of crushed red pepper flakes.
Brown sugar instead of maple syrup. Or both! You could even add molasses or honey.
Dry or yellow mustard instead of brown mustard.
A few drops of liquid smoke flavoring instead of Worcestershire sauce.
Cheddar cheese or another good melty cheese instead of Mozzarella cheese. (melty?)
Rice or noodles instead of potatoes. Or top with mashed potatoes, then do cheddar on top.

Ham and Pineapple Casserole

   My Mom used to say you get a lot of bang for your buck when you  buy a ham because you can serve it at any meal - breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Of course it's great as a fabulous Holiday Ham dinner, but what do you do with al the leftover ham? Well, you have ham sandwiches, you dice it and throw it into an omelette or a quiche, or you add it to a casserole!
 This casserole uses the classic pairing of ham and pineapple, and bakes it together with pasta and a creamy sauce. It's simple to throw together and you can vary it to your heart's content.
 So give this one a try the next time you have a little leftover ham. It's a great "round two" recipe to make sure you get the most bang for your buck!


1 lb ziti, or other cut pasta
1 small onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, any color, chopped
2 cups diced ham
1 8oz block of cream cheese
1 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups diced fresh pineapple
1 sleeve Ritz crackers
2 tbs butter, melted


Heat oven to 350ºF.
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to directions until al dente.
Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, saute the chopped onions and peppers in a little oil. Saute until softened. Add diced ham. Continue to saute for a minute or two. Add cream cheese and milk. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. When pasta is cooked, add to saute pan along with pineapple. (or use a big bowl to better facilitate this). Toss everything well to coat with sauce. Place in a large casserole dish.
In a small bowl, melt butter. Mix with crushed crackers. Lightly sprinkle your buttered cracker crumbs over casserole. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes.


Tips:
To make sure your sauce is flavorful, you definitely want to give it a taste before you add the pasta to it. You could even add some sliced scallions to it, just to bump up the fresh flavor a bit.
Instead of using Ritz crackers, use whatever kind of buttery crackers you like! You could also use seasoned bread crumbs or even crushed potato chips.

Cranberry Glazed Ham

   My Mom used to always say that it's good to make a ham because you can have it for any meal. A glazed ham at dinner, ham sandwiches for lunch, or ham and eggs for breakfast. My FAVORITE way to have him is glazed with something sweet and syrupy, so of course I've always loved trying different types of glazes, from orange marmalade, to ginger ale, to the favorite brown sugar. And I've been trying to find the right cranberry glaze recipe, simply because I just love 'em with everything. (I'm the guy who stocks up the freezer with MANY bags of fresh cranberries while they're still available in season, just so I can have them throughout the year). So I was thrilled when I saw this recipe on a blog called The Food Charlatan (who got it from Food Network Magazine).
 Not only is this recipe delicious and simple, but it's also special enough and worthy of being your next holiday meal. Yes of course everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe help to make the season bright, but sometimes you might like to have a gorgeous Christmas Ham instead, and this one is just as festive as you want it to be! It's sweet and tangy and there's just the tiniest bit of spice. It's perfect for Christmas Dinner, or brunch, or your all-afternoon open-house party. Or just make it anytime you're in the mood for a fabulous ham dinner. Your family will love you for it!




2 cups fresh cranberries 
1/4 cup water 
1/4 cup honey 
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 
1/2 cup brown sugar 
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
5-6 pound cooked ham,  (such as a spiral sliced ham) 


 Combine cranberries, water, and honey in a medium saucepan. Set over medium heat. Stir occasionally for about 4-5 minutes, until most of the cranberries have popped. Add Dijon mustard, vinegar, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper. Continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes until the sauce has thickened some and is syrupy. Remove from heat. If you have an immersion blender, use it to puree the sauce. (If you don't, transfer the mixture to a regular blender. Leave the top of the blender vented (to allow steam to escape) and cover with a towel. Blend it up until smooth.)
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
Place the ham in a roasting pan with rack and use a sharp serrated knife to score the ham diagonally.
Use a brush to coat the ham all over with the cranberry sauce.
Place the pan in the oven and roast for about 20-25 minutes per pound. (You don't need to worry about the internal temperature too much since the ham is already cooked. You just want to make sure it's hot all the way through.) 20 minutes before you think it will be done, brush with sauce one more time. Serve the ham with the remaining glaze (Warm it up in the microwave or on the stove since it will be cool by now.)




Tips:
If you'd like to make this when fresh cranberries are not in season, just use a couple cans of cranberry sauce. It won't matter if you use whole berry or jellied cranberry sauce because you're going to puree it anyway!

Country Ham and Corn Casserole

    When I first saw this recipe (from Pillsbury, I believe), it reminded me of my favorite corn casserole that is now a staple side dish at Thanksgiving dinner. But then after I gave it a closer look, I thought mmm... maybe this would be a great something to have for lunch or brunch, kind of in the same way you'd have a quiche! And do you know what? I was right! All you need is a simple side salad to go with it along with a nice tall glass of ice cold sweet tea, and you have the perfect little lunch that just hits the spot. And honestly, it couldn't be easier to make. You basically just mix everything together and bake it! Easy, right? Now that's my idea of an easy recipe! Try it!


Ok wait... UPDATE....
 The following recipe is my tweaked version of the original. What can I say? I can never leave well enough alone. After I posted the original, I thought, "wait, this can be better." So I made it again! The first time I made it, the amount of butter was just way too much to the point where it looked like an oil slick while it was baking. So I literally cut the amount of butter by half. Also, instead of adding a can of Mexicorn as the original recipe required, I decided to use a can of whole kernel corn and some chopped roasted roasted red peppers. I finished it off with a little black pepper. I think this is a MUCH better version! Still not too heavy, still very delicious with a simple side salad, still perfect for a brunch. And just fyi, the fresh green onion on top as a garnish really makes it!

2 c. cooked ham, cubed

1/2 c. green onions, chopped (plus more)

1/4 c butter, melted

3 eggs, beaten

1 (15oz) can cream style corn

1 (15oz) can whole kernel corn
1/4 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers

1 pkg corn muffin mix
freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 c shredded Cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 2 qt casserole dish.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the cheese. Pour into casserole dish.

Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown and set. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with more chopped green onions.

Tip:

So now that I've tweaked it a little, the only thing I would change or vary might be to add a little heat, possibly with some chopped jalapeno peppers. The corn really lends itself to Southwestern flavors, so if that's your thing, go for it!

Monte Cristo Sliders

 Ok here's a recipe that you might read and say "wait, how does this go together?" But TRUST ME, it absolutely does!! It starts out as a basic sandwich slider with some ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese. Then it starts to get interesting when you brush the whole thing (inside and out) with this sort of buttery hollandaise-ish sauce, which melts into the rolls and makes everything crisp on the outside and melty and gooey on the inside. Are you with me so far? OK now things start to go rogue.. to serve it, you dust the whole thing with powdered sugar, and you serve it with raspberry preserves. WHAT??  I know, I know, it's crazy....but seriously, it's absolutely amazing! It's the salt from the ham and the gooey from the cheese and butter, and the tang from the mustard, and the sweet from the preserves... it hits all the right notes! Usually, a regular Monte Cristo is just a ham and cheese sandwich that is dipped in egg, and then fried like French toast, so this is just the slider version that my sister in law, Terri, found on a website called Jennifer Cooks. (Thank you Jennifer!)
 I recently made this for a family brunch event, and everyone loved it! There were a few people who didn't want the powdered sugar on top, but it is HANDS DOWN 100% better with the powdered sugar and preserves. Anyone who tries to tell you differently is just not living her best life. (Yes, Emma, I'm talking to YOU). Serve them for breakfast or brunch or lunch or dinner! They will always hit the spot!


1 pkg (12-count each) Sweet Hawaiian Dinner Rolls
1/2 lb deli sliced smoked or honey ham
1/2 lb deli sliced smoked roasted turkey
1/2 lb Gruyère cheese or other quality Swiss cheese, grated


Sauce:
1 stick butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbs Dijon mustard
2 tbs mayonnaise

Powdered sugar
Raspberry Preserves

 Preheat oven to 325. Line a 9x13 baking dish with foil (enough that it overlaps the sides - to use as handles). Spray foil-lined baking dish with cooking spray. Slice rolls horizontally as a unit – don’t break apart into individual rolls. Put the bottoms into the baking dish. Lay meat on top, then cover with cheese. In a small bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients. Pour 1/2 of the sauce on top of cheese. Place tops of rolls on top, pressing down lightly. Pour remaining mixture over tops of rolls and spread evenly. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Watch closely – if the tops begin to brown too much, place a sheet of foil over the top. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Using the foil "handles" lift the sandwiches out onto a cutting board. With a large butcher knife, cut the sandwiches into their individual slider rolls. Dust lightly with powdered sugar and serve with raspberry preserves on the side.

Tips:
Since I was making this for a party, I used a half sheet pan, and it worked perfectly! It turns out that 5 packages of rolls worked perfectly on two pans! TBH, I probably could have fit another row of rolls on each pan, but I had enough for the crowd I was feeding!
I assembled everything the night before, then brushed them with the sauce and baked them on the morning of the brunch, but Jennifer said that it can be assembled AND brushed a day in advance. Time saver!!

Joey's Slow Cooker Ham and Cabbage Stew

 Usually, when you think of ham (or corned beef) and cabbage, you probably think of just throwing everything into a big pot of water along with lots of potatoes and boiling everything to death, am I right?? Well, actually, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but recently I was in the mood for ham and cabbage, but I wanted MORE. More vegetables, more flavors, more seasonings, more gravy. Just MORE! So, I decided to continue my ongoing obsession with slow cookers and decided to come up with a stew. Basically, I just bought one of those small "football" hams, and a small head of cabbage, and threw in a bunch of other things I happened to have on hand.
 And OMG it came out so good, I couldn't stop eating it! It was warm, and comforting and hearty and exactly all the MORE I was looking for.
 So, for this St Patrick's day, instead of just filling up a pot and boiling everything to death, give this recipe a try. It might become your new go to when you want something more!!!


1/2 lb bacon
1/2 head of green cabbage, roughly chopped
2-3 lbs boneless ham, cut into large chunks
2-3 lbs baby red potatoes, halved or quartered
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
2 large apples, any firm variety, peeled, cored, and diced
1 lb baby carrots
1 small can chicken broth
1 tsp celery seeds
Salt and pepper to taste

Using a very sharp knife, cut the bacon into large pieces and slowly saute over medium heat. Meanwhile, add all of the remaining ingredients to a large slow cooker. When the bacon is browned to your liking, add it to the slow cooker including the drippings in the pan. Cover. Cook it on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

 Optional:
After it is finished cooking, remove everything from the slow cooker to a big bowl, leaving just the cooking liquid in the slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker to high. Add about a quarter cup of flour to a mason jar along with about a half cup of COLD water. Tighten the lid, and then shake to create a slurry, then whisk it into your slow cooker until the cooking liquid has thickened into a gravy, then add the meat and vegetables back to the slow cooker.
Serve with warm crusty bread and lots of butter.



Tips:
The amounts are just guidelines. If you like a lot of something, add a lot! Want to add a whole pound of bacon? Go for it. Want to add more carrots? Perfect! Want to leave out the apples? I say you're crazy, but hey, you do you!
You don't really have to do the optional step of thickening the gravy, but I think it makes all the difference, and it's what turns it from a soup into a stew.
You also don't even have to use the slow cooker liner as seen in the picture. I just happened to have some and decided to try it. Easy clean up!
Oh, and yes, I know this picture is the "before" instead of the "after", but the colors looked so appealing, I decided to go with it!

Crock Pot Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham

 Ok, so what if you want to prepare a nice holiday dinner for your family, but you have limited cooking experience. What do you do? You make THIS recipe, that's what you do! This is so easy, anyone can do it! You just throw everything into the crock pot and turn it on. If you can open a can of pineapple, you can do this. And your family will be SO impressed by the delicious holiday ham that YOU made for them!
 I saw this in a video from Incredible Recipes that my friend Joshua posted on FB, and immediately decided that this would be the dinner I make for the next group hang at my place. Since this was gonna be a holiday hang anyway, I knew it would be perfect! And the fact that it's in a crock just makes it all the more easy. It frees up your oven for other things!
 So, thank you Incredible Recipes for living up to your name, and thank you Joshua for posting it! I think now this just might be my go-to ham recipe. It's pretty tough to beat!


1 ham, pre-cooked, spiral cut - bone-in or boneless, either will work
3 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 20 oz can pineapple tidbits or chunks - do not drain


 In a large crock pot, (over 6-quarts or larger) cover the bottom with 2 cups of the brown sugar. Place ham on top of the brown sugar, open the slices slightly with your hands. Pour the honey evenly over the ham. Add the pineapple around the sides (with the juice) and some on top. Top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar, making sure it is evenly distributed over the entire top of the ham.
Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours.


Tips:

-The original recipe said to cook it for 4 1/2 -6 hours. I've made this recipe a few times, and I find that I don't like to cook it for that long. The ham is already cooked, so leaving it in the slow cooker for that long really over tenderizes the meat, at least for my liking. The longer you cook it, the more it will fall apart. I like ham to still maintain its integrity (no one likes mushy ham!) so I only cook it for 3 or 4 hours.

If you need to be away from your slow cooker for longer than 4 hours, then go ahead and cook it for longer, but don't add the pineapple until the last hour of cooking. It's an enzyme in the pineapple that breaks down the ham, making it too mushy. Science!

-Yes, yes, I know there's a huge amount of sweet ingredients going on here. But the ham is quite salty, so the sweet glaze goes nicely with it. To further balance all of that sugar, choose side dishes that are not sweet. For example, in this case, I would not serve applesauce, cranberry sauce, or pineapple stuffing as I might usually do with a regular ham. Instead, choose a savory vegetable such as green beans or broccoli and a starch such as mashed potatoes or mac and cheese.

-I used fresh pineapple instead of canned, just because I like it better. I didn't even measure. Just pulsed of bunch of fresh pineapple chunks in the food processor to chop 'em up a bit, then went ahead with the recipe as directed. If you like a lot of pineapple, add a lot!!

-I've never tried it, but I bet you could substitute maple syrup instead of honey, just for a little maple hit. I'm sure that would be heavenly!

Ham and Cheese Brunch Bake

 Here's an easy do-ahead dish that is perfect for any brunch or holiday breakfast. You just throw it together the night before, leave it in the fridge overnight, and then pop it in the oven in the morning. And boom, brunch is served! Of course, you can go in any number of directions with it. The variations are seemingly endless! Any combination of proteins or cheeses or veggies would work perfectly! But I decided to keep things plain and simple, just as it's written. You might think that plain and simple = boring and bland, but I promise you this is absolutely not the case! It's surprisingly flavorful! The fresh thyme and the garlic are key. They bring so much to the party!
 Now, don't ask me how this recipe and I seemed to find each other. I mean, I know it's from Delish.com, but I can't remember how I found it. Maybe someone posted it on Facebook, maybe I found it while browsing, who knows? But I guess it really doesn't matter. It's easy and delicious, so that's all we need to know! Definitely give this one a try!!!!


10 large eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
1 tsp. garlic powder
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 c. cubed French bread or baguette
1/2 lb. ham, chopped
1 1/2 c. shredded white Cheddar


 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, dijon, thyme, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Butter or spray a large baking dish. Add bread and top with ham and cheddar. Pour over egg mixture. Allow the egg mixture to soak into the bread cubes. Bake until eggs are cooked through, 45 to 55 minutes.

 (To make ahead, cover baking dish with aluminum foil and refrigerate, up to overnight, then bake as directed.)

Tips:
Add cooked sausage or bacon, add steamed or sauteed broccoli or asparagus, add any favorite cheese, add sauteed onions. Do whatever you like!

Joey's Corned Beef and Cabbage Casserole

 One of my favorite things in the whole wide world is a casserole. It's always warm and comforting, and it always hits the spot. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: you can pretty much throw anything into a casserole and it'll be fabulous! Usually, I like to include something creamy, something cheesy, and some sort of starch, protein, and vegetable. In this case, I decided to make a St Patrick's Day inspired casserole! Lots of corned beef and cabbage in a creamy cheesy sauce, tossed with wide noodles and baked until bubbly and golden on top. Doesn't that sound awesome? It's heaven in a dish! Plus, it's a great way to use up your leftover corned beef and cabbage, giving you a great round two dish that feeds a crowd. And it's a total do-ahead, so you can assemble it ahead of time and then bake it when you're ready to serve. When I told my Jeanie and Daniel what I was making, Daniel said "Theres's no way that's bad" and Jeanie had made a similar casserole too, only she used rye bread crumbs. Great minds, huh? I'm fairly certain my Mom was talking to us. I think she'd have liked this one. You will too!


1 lb egg noodles
1 onion, chopped
1/2 of a green cabbage, chopped
8 oz corned beef (or ham), diced
8 oz Swiss cheese, shredded
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 soup can of milk (roughly 1 1/2 cups)
 pinch or two caraway seeds, optional (fennel seeds would also work!)
salt and pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tbs melted butter



Heat oven to 350F.
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the noodles until al dente. Drain well.
While the noodles are cooking, saute the cabbage  and onions in a large skillet until tender. In a large bowl, stir together the corned beef, shredded cheese, soup, milk, and salt and pepper. Add cooked onions and cabbage along with the drained noodles to the bowl. Add caraway seeds, if using. Gently toss everything until well combined. Place in a 9x13 baking dish. In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle over the top of your casserole. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until slightly browned on top. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.


Tips:
When you boil your noodles, make sure to cook them only until al dente. They will continue to cook in the casserole so you're really only partially cooking them at this step. Oh, and be sure the water is well salted!
If you're using leftover boiled cabbage, don't saute it for as long. Just chop it up and add it to the pan with the sauteed onions. You really don't have to saute it at all, but doing this will help evaporate some of the water in the cabbage.
 For a little extra something, add crisped bacon!

Joey's Favorite Crustless Ham and Cheese Quiche

  Every year, for Easter, my family has a fabulous brunch. Our menu usually includes several breakfast casseroles, quiches, fresh fruit salad, french toast casserole, bagels and muffins with cream cheese and jam, assorted danish, hash brown potato patties, and even a sliced ham and various other breakfast meats. Oh, and of course we have many different kinds of fruit juice, and champagne for mimosas. It's always quite a spread!! Sounds awesome, doesn't it? As always, we each contribute something to the event. Usually, I make a couple quiches, and a couple Tomato Pies. Sometimes I make Onion Pies too (which I absolutely love).
 So, recently, I was thinking about our Easter brunch, which put me in the mood for a quiche. I looked in the fridge, just to see what ingredients I had on hand. I scrambled some eggs, threw a few things into a pan, stirred it all together, popped it in the oven, and boom, there was my quiche! Now, I rarely ever follow a recipe when I'm making a quiche, but here's the thing... It was SO tasty, I thought, ok wait, let me remember what I did.. this one was a keeper! So I quickly wrote down what I did while it was still fresh in my mind. Since then, I've made this exact quiche so many times I don't even need to follow the recipe. It's now one of my go-to dishes and it's one of my all time faves. I love the fresh basil, I love that it has 2 kinds of cheese, and more than anything else, I love the garlic. It really makes the entire dish!
 So don't worry about a pie crust this time. If you can scramble some eggs, you can make this quiche. It's really amazing, and it's just the thing for your next brunch. Even if it's not a special occasion, it's still pretty fabulous for an easy dinner or a light lunch. I hope you'll give it a try!

2 tbs butter
1 small onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
5 or 6 slices deli ham, diced
4-5 large cloves garlic, (about 2 tbs minced)
10 large eggs
1/4 cup milk, half and half, or cream
5 or 6 slices Swiss cheese, diced (plus more)
5 or 6 slices white American cheese, diced
8-10 fresh basil leaves
Salt and Pepper

Heat oven to 350ºF.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onions, peppers, and ham. Saute until the onions and peppers are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic. Cook for a few minutes more, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the eggs and milk together until very well combined. Stir the cheese and basil along with the ham and veggies into the beaten egg mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
 Spray and glass Pyrex pie plate with cooking spray. Pour the egg mixture into the plate. Place on a baking tray, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and place a little more Swiss cheese on top. Bake for few more minutes until the cheese is melted and the center is set. Remove from oven and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Can be served hot or at room temperature.

Tips:
So, you may ask "why is there no crust to this quiche?" Well, it makes it the ideal dinner when one is restricting carbs from one's diet, of course. But if you'd like to make it with a crust, go for it!
Yes, I know it's quite a bit of garlic, but seriously, that's the beauty of it. It's AMAZING!

Joey's Ginger Ale Glazed Ham

 

 I recently had some friends over for dinner and because I wanted to try out an idea for a ham glaze. I know many people like to glaze a baked ham with maple syrup and brown sugar or pineapple, but I always wanted to do a ham glazed with ginger ale. I figured, since I already use ginger ale to make Hot Ham, why not make a glaze for a baked ham too? So I did what I always do.. I threw a bunch of things in a pot and tasted it, figuring I'd tweak it here and there until it was right. I got it right on the first try!! I wanted it to hit certain flavor notes (a little sweet and a little tangy) but I definitely wanted the ginger ale to be the star. And that's exactly what this glaze is. Yum! Now I know it may seem a bit daunting to cook a big ham for dinner, but seriously, it's one of the easiest things you could ever make. You just pop it in the oven and let it cook! And everyone is always SO impressed! My sister, Jeanie, said she makes ham all the time, just to have on hand, and it goes really far because you use every bit of it. After you finish eating all the meat off the bone, then you use the bone for soup! (mmm.. ham bones make some of the BEST soup.)
 So if you're planning a holiday meal, or even just to have it on hand, instead of doing a maple glazed ham, try this ginger ale glaze. I KNOW you will love it. I promise you your guests will too!


1 10-12 lb fully cooked shank or butt portion half ham
A few cups ginger ale (NOT diet, preferably Canada Dry)

For the glaze:
2 cups ginger ale
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup brown mustard, such as Guldens
1 tbs cider vinegar
1 cup dark brown sugar

Heat oven to 325ºF.
The ham is already cooked, so you're really just glazing it and slowly heating it through. Remove the packaging and place it on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, make long shallow cuts about an inch apart, all going in one direction, then do the same thing in the other direction, making a criss cross pattern. (You really don't have to do this, but it looks nice on a serving platter) Place the ham (flat side down) on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour a few cups of ginger ale into the bottom of the pan, just about an inch or two, just to keep the ham nice and moist while it's in the oven. Cover the roasting pan tightly with heavy duty foil, or with a lid if you have one. Place the ham in the oven, and let it roast for 20 minutes per pound. Check on it about halfway through, and add more ginger ale to the pan if needed. In the meantime, make the glaze. In a small pot, mix together the glaze ingredients. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let it reduce until it begins to get syrupy and a little thicker. During the last half hour of cooking time, remove the ham from the oven. Remove the foil and brush the ham generously with the glaze. Place it back in the oven, uncovered, for the remaining 30 minutes. Feel free to glaze it again when it comes out of the oven. Tent it loosely with foil and let it rest for about 20-30 minutes before carving it. Serve with extra glaze.


Tips:
Make sure you use regular ginger ale and not diet. You want the sugar because it will caramelize and your ham will be gorgeous!
After you make your criss cross cuts, you can stud the ham will whole cloves, if you like. I did, just because it looks pretty and it's kind of a classic thing to do. If you're not going to present the entire ham on your dinner table, then you don't even have to bother with the criss cross slices or the cloves.
After the ham is gone, wrap the bone tightly with foil and store it in the freezer until you're ready to make soup!

Eggs Benedict Casserole

 

 Usually, when you make classic Eggs Benedict, you make it in individual servings. You have your toasted English muffins, topped with ham or Canadian Bacon and a poached egg, drizzled with a rich and decadent Hollandaise sauce. DELICIOUS!! The only problem is that it doesn't exactly lend itself to feeding a crowd.
 Well, leave it to my fabulous sister Jeanie to find a recipe for Eggs Benedict that DOES feed a crowd! I mean, it stands to reason. She pretty much feeds the whole world with all the cooking she does. And she knows everything about everything. Let me put it this way....Lots of people come to me whenever they have a cooking question. Well, Jeanie is person I call when I have a cooking question. She's just amazing.
 Anyway, when we had our big Easter Brunch, she brought this dish and it was a HUGE hit. SWOOSH! There was nothing left. The recipe is pretty easy! And it's a total do-ahead, so it's a time saver too. I love that. I can't remember where she found it (somewhere on Pinterest, I think), but I'll still give her the credit for it. So, make this the next time you're feeding a crowd at brunch, or any holiday when you wanna serve a nice breakfast. (Christmas, anyone??) It's Delish!!
Thanx My Jeanie!!


3/4 lb Canadian Bacon, chopped
6 English muffins, split, toasted, and cut into 1" pieces
8 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp paprika

Sauce:
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup butter, melted

 Place half the bacon in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Top with English muffins and remaining bacon. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and onion powder. Pour over the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
 Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and bake 375ºF for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
 In a double boiler or metal bowl over simmering water, constantly whisk the egg yolks, cream, lemon juice, and mustard until mixture reaches 160º or until it's thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Reduce heat to low. Slowly drizzle in warm butter, whisking constantly. Serve immediately with casserole.

Tips:
Instead of using this sauce recipe, you could always just make a regular classic Hollandaise Sauce. It's basically the same, though.
Don't have Canadian Bacon? Use regular diced ham instead.
I noticed that there's no salt and pepper added. If I were making this, I'd probably throw some in. Yes, I know the bacon is salty, but I'd still probably add more. Just sayin.
Jeanie told me that the only thing she did differently was that she buttered the English muffins before cutting them up and adding them to the casserole. Obviously. I mean, why wouldn't you???

Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole

 With everyone's crazy busy schedules, it's sometimes hard to get everything done. So when it comes to cooking for a holiday breakfast or brunch, it's always a good thing to do as much as you can in advance. And that brings us to today's casserole. This is a hearty one dish meal that is a great do ahead the night before, and then all you need to do is pop it in the oven in the morning. Easy, right? It also feeds a crowd, so it's perfect for the whole family, or you can even bring it to your holiday brunch. This is a tweaked version of a Paula Deen recipe, so I can't take all the credit for it, but I did make a few changes. A little more of this, a little less of that, a few additions, and here we are! Serve it up with something light, like a fresh fruit salad, and you have a perfect holiday breakfast!

3 tablespoons butter (or a few glugs of oil)

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 large bag frozen hash browns
1 pound bulk sausage, mild, hot or sage

1 lb diced ham
2 1/4 cups whole milk
8 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons mustard (any kind)
8 slices of bread, cubed
2 cups  shredded Cheddar (or any other good melting cheese)

Spray a deep 13 by 9-inch casserole dish with vegetable oil cooking spray.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Add the onion and saute over medium-low heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the hash browns and break apart. Saute until golden.

In a second frying pan, saute the sausage, breaking apart large clumps. Add the diced ham. When the sausage is cooked through and the ham is lightly browned, remove from heat and set aside.. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, eggs, salt, pepper, and mustard.
To assemble, spread the onions and hash browns evenly at the bottom of the greased dish. Place the bread cubes evenly on top of hash browns. With a slotted spoon distribute sausage and ham as the third layer. Pour the milk and egg mixture over these layers. Top with Cheddar cheese. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, take the casserole out of the fridge about a half hour before you bake it.

Bake the casserole, in a preheated 350º oven, uncovered, for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the eggs are set and everything is melted and bubbly.

Tip:

 You don't have to make this the night before. You can assemble it and then let it sit for a little while so the bread soaks up the eggs, then bake as directed.
 I think, perhaps, the next time I make this I'll just fry up some potatoes instead of using the hash browns. I found myself wanting bigger chunks of potato. I bet tater tots would work really well here too.

 Feel free to switch this up as much as you like. Use any combination of meats or veggies you like.  Add bacon, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, red or green bell peppers, mushrooms, or whatever you like! Basically, anything you would throw into an omelet will work here. Come to think of it, adding red bell pepper and a green veggie would make this casserole oh so festive if you're making it for Christmas morning!

Sweet Ham and Swiss Sliders

 

 This is a quick and easy recipe that I got from my friend Gina. It's from a blog called Heather Likes Food, and it's the PERFECT thing if you want to use up some leftover ham. Even if you don't have leftover ham, they're stil delicious and gooey and cheesy and mmmmm....I think I could probably eat about 50 of them! Well, not really. Well maybe. Thanx for sharing the recipe, Gina! And thanx to Heather for posting them it in the first place!!  And for the picture too!

16 White Dinner Style Rolls, cut in half
24 slices Honey Ham
16 slices Swiss Cheese
1/4 C Mayonnaise
1 1/2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
8 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
1/4 C brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400°
2. On a rimmed baking sheet place bottom half of dinner rolls and top with 1 1/2 slices of ham and 1 slice of Swiss cheese. Spread about 1 tsp of mayonnaise on each top-half of roll and place on top of ham and cheese. You want the rolls to be snug together, kissing just a bit so the sauce can soak up into all of the nooks and crannies.
3. In a small bowl combine the mustard, melted butter, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, and brown sugar. Mix until combined and evenly pour over the assembled rolls. Cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake.
4. Bake covered with foil for 10 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the tops are browned, and cheese is good and melted.

Tips:
I do love a yummy ham and Swiss, but feel free to substitute any sliced meat or cheese that you like. Stick with a cheese that melts really well!

Orange Glazed Ham

When you think of a glazed ham, you normally think it should be reserved for a huge holiday meal or special occasion. Am I right?  Well, nothing could be further from the truth. I know I've said this before, but it's worth repeating: My Mom used to say that ham is always great to have on hand because you can have it at any meal. Ham and eggs for breakfast, ham sandwiches for lunch, add a few veggies and a starch and you have a yummy ham dinner. So, yes, this is perfect for a holiday dinner or for a party, but you definitely don't have to wait until then! Make this on a Monday night and you'll be set for several meals during the week!

1 boneless ham (4-5 lbs)
1/4 cup home made fresh orange marmalade, or your favorite brand
1/4 cup spicy brown or Dijon mustard
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
big pinch ground cloves
freshly ground black pepper

Heat oven to 325F.
Place the ham in a shallow baking dish, (remove the net casing, if it has one). Cover tightly with foil. Place in oven and let it roast for 15 minutes per pound. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients. Remove the foil for the last 15 minutes of cooking time, then slather the glaze over the ham. Let it finish cooking, uncovered. Let it stand for 15 minutes after removing it from the oven.

Tips:
If orange is not your favorite thing, try using a different kind of fruit preserves or jelly instead of the marmalade. Apple, pineapple, apricot, peach, or even strawberry or raspberry would be absolutely delish!
If cloves are not your favorite thing, simply omit them! It'll still be yummy!