Dinner is over, but there is still ham left on the plate. You put it in the refrigerator, but wonder if anyone will eat it after that night. No one may want plain ham, but here are a few ideas for using those leftovers to create new meal ideas.
Breakfast- Put away the bacon and sausage. Cut a portion of the leftover ham into cubes. These cubes can be used as an add-in with shredded cheese to make a tasty breakfast omelet. Add it to scrambled eggs, cheese, and chopped peppers and onions to make a breakfast casserole for the entire family.
Quick lunches- Use ham pieces to add protein to a meal of macaroni and cheese for the kids. Throw in a few chopped tomatoes for color and nutrition. Add ham cubes to macaroni salad for a complete and light spring or summer meal. Ham can be used as a topping for salads.
Seasoning- Slice as much meat as you can off of the ham bone. Simmer the ham bone in a Dutch oven with about an inch of water. Once the water has begun to boil, add chopped fresh greens to the pot. Favorite greens include: collards, kale, and turnip. The ham is used as a flavoring for the greens. This is a southern tradition. Add crushed red peppers for a spicier taste.
Appetizers- Create a quiche. Cut the leftover ham into cubes. Finely chop half an onion. Add both to the egg mixture and pour into the crust. For individual appetizers use a mini muffin pan and create individual little quiches for your guests to enjoy. Melt cheese and add small slices of ham to toast points or crackers for a quick party appetizer.
Soups- Ham pieces liven up baked potato soup. Top a bowl of piping hot soup with ham, cheese, and chopped green onions. Corn chowder or split pea soup can be made better with a few bits of ham.
Dinner- For a light summer dinner put one inch ham cubes on metal skewers with pineapple chunks. Dip the kabobs in a honey teriyaki glaze. Place them on a hot grill for no more than a minute on each side, just long enough to get grill marks. Serve these tangy kabobs over a bed of rice with a salad on the side. Another meal idea is ham and cabbage. Cook a head of cabbage and dress it up with a few brown sugar glazed ham medallions.
Leftovers do not need to be yesterday’s news. Instead, use them in interesting ways to create meals for several days after the initial meal. If you don’t want to use the ham right away, freeze it until a later date.
To learn more, check out the Mom’s Talk eBook’s Freezing It & Loving It!
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