Scalloped Potatoes & Ham plus more ideas for leftover Easter ham

Photo from The Pioneer Woman

 

 

NOTES

• Made this last year with leftover Easter ham and it was DELICIOUS. We will make again next week for sure!
• Recipe is from The Pioneer Woman
• Other good ideas for ham leftovers:
• Either this or this ham & cheese quiche recipe with a hash brown crust.
• Frittata with ham & asparagus or frittata with ham, potatoes & cheese
• Grilled ham & cheese sandwich
• Ham & mushroom quiche with traditional pie crust

 INGREDIENTS

• 3 lbs russet or yukon gold potatoes, washed thoroughly
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 whole yellow onion, diced
• 3 cups diced ham
• 1 1/2 c. half-and-half
• 1 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1/4 c. all-p flour
• Black pepper to taste
• 1 c. grated cheddar cheese
• 1 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese
• chopped parsley (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter or grease a large casserole dish.
2. Heat butter in a large skillet. Add onions and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they start to turn translucent. Then add ham and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until starting to brown a little. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Combine half-and-half and cream in a microwave-safe container and cook for a minute or so, until no longer cold. Whisk in flour and black pepper and set aside.
4. Combine the two grated cheeses and set aside.
5. Using a mandoline or slicer, slice potatoes into very thin 1/8-inch slices. To assemble: layer 1/3 of the potato slices in the buttered casserole dish, sprinkle on 1/3 of the ham/onion mixture, then 1/3 of the cheese, then pour on 1/3 of the cream mixture.
6. Repeat this twice more, ending with a sprinkling of cheese and a pouring on of the rest of the cream mixture. Cover dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until bubbly and hot. Let sit 5 minutes before cutting into squares. Sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired.  



Week 63, Recipe 2: Creamy Sausage and Tomato Penne

NOTES

• Recipe modified from the blog From the Girl Who Ate Everything
• My husband asked me to make this again soon!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb ground sausage (regular Italian or spicy would be fine - turkey or pork)
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 16 oz can Italian style diced tomatoes
• 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 5-6 big leaves of fresh basil, chopped
• 12 ounces penne pasta
• Grated Parmesan for topping
• Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

 

1. Cook the pasta in salted water just until al dente, according to package directions.

2. While pasta is cooking, cook the sausage in a large skillet until starting to brown, breaking it up and stirring every so often. Then add 1/4 c. water and cover the skillet until the water starts to simmer. Turn down heat a bit and stir every so often until the water has evaporated and the sausage is cooked through.

3. Add the onions and garlic to the sausage and saute for a few minutes.

4. Add the can of diced tomatoes and the tomato sauce and bring to a low simmer.

5. Add in the cream and bring to a low simmer for a few minutes.

6. Stir in the fresh basil and then mix the pasta in with the sauce. Top each serving with some Parmesan cheese if desired.

Week 62, Recipe 2: Creamy Tortellini & Spinach Bake

Photo from What a Dish!

NOTES

• This was really good. The creamy sauce bakes into the pasta and the bacon adds a nice flavor. We all ate it up! Double the recipe below for sure as a 8x8 inch casserole was NOT enough! 
• Modified from What a Dish! website

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pkg (16 oz) cheese tortellini 
• 4 strips bacon
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 c. milk
• ¾ tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp dry basil
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes 
• juice of half a lemon - about  1 1/2 - 2 tbsp
• 1 package frozen spinach, cooked according to package directions and squeezed of excess liquid once cooled
• ¾ c. grated mozzarella cheese, divided
• ¾ c. grated Parmesan cheese, divided

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350. 
2. Cook tortellini according to package instructions and drain. Do not over cook or it will get mushy.
3. Cook bacon until crisp in a skillet at medium-high heat. Remove bacon from pan with slotted spoon and set on paper towels to drain then crumble when cooled. Reserve two tablespoons bacon drippings in pan and discard the rest. 
4. Reduce heat to medium low and add garlic to pan. Cook until fragrant and tender, about 1 minute. Add flour to pan and stir with a whisk for about 1 minute. Slowly add milk and continue to stir with whisk until smooth. Add salt, pepper, basil, and red pepper flakes and bring sauce to a simmer. Add lemon juice to sauce and continue to stir until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. In a large pot or bowl, gently mix the cooked tortellini, half of the crumbled bacon, spinach, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese with the sauce. Place pasta mixture in an 8×8 or 9×9 (or similar sized) baking dish and top with remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan and extra crumbled bacon.
6. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until cheese on top is melted and pasta is bubbly throughout. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Week 62, Recipe 4: Baked Pork Chops in Gravy

NOTES

• These were tender and flavorful!
• The pork chops take an hour or so to cook so plan ahead if needed by setting out all ingredients and the utensils you will need to get them in the oven as quickly as possible. 
• Recipe modified from Taste of Home

INGREDIENTS

• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp water
• 8 pork chops (1/2 inch thick)
• 3/4 c. seasoned bread crumbs (or use Panko and add 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can condensed French onion soup
• 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
• Mashed potatoes (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a shallow bowl, beat egg and water. Dip pork chops in egg mixture, then coat with bread crumbs. 

2. In a large skillet, brown chops in oil. Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. 

3. Combine the soups; pour over chops. Sprinkle with cheese. 

4. Cover and bake at 325° for 1 - 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Serve with mashed potatoes if desired.

Week 61, Recipe 2: Hash brown-Crust Quiche with Ham & Cheese

NOTES:

• I love hash brown crusts. Make two of these while you at it! It's so easy to shred your own potatoes for the hash browns. You will need about 3 medium potatoes for each crust. The trick to hash browns either in a quiche crust or just fried up in a saucepan is to squeeze the excess moisture from the shredded potatoes before cooking so they'll crisp up nicely. Otherwise they are too wet and will never cook up properly. I use a porous dish cloth but you could also try some sturdy paper towels. I place a large chunk in the center of my cloth then squeeze and ring the water out of the potatoes. It will surprise you how much liquid comes out!
• Experiment with this recipe! Try substituting sausage for the ham and adding green chilies, or go vegetarian and do mushrooms and green onions. You can mix anything for the filling - just keep the egg, cheese, and milk. You may have to use one less egg or one more, depending on how chunky your filling ingredients are.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and shredded then squeezed of excess liquid (feel free to use frozen, partially thawed hash browns instead - probably 1 package would do for one pie crust)
• 4 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 c. cooked diced ham (or cooked crumbled sausage or leave meat out all together)
• 1 c. shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 c. half-and-half or whole milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 and prepare hash brown crust as directed in the first ingredient list above.
2. Melt butter and toss with the shredded (and squeezed dry) hash browns along with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.
3. Press this mixture into the sides of an ungreased pie plate (glass is preferable).
4. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or until potatoes start to brown a little.
5. While the crust is baking, whisk together the eggs and half-and-half/milk. Add 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. This is optional but I think you'll get a better flavor - saute ham in a little oil until hot and starting the brown a bit (add some chopped onions if desired). Remove from heat and set aside. Decrease oven temp to 400.
6. Remove crust from oven and arrange all but a small bit of the cheese on the bottom. Place the ham on top then pour the eggs/milk over the ham, topping with the last bit of cheese.
7. Return pan to oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the egg has set and it is puffy and lightly browned on top. You may need to cover the top during cooking if the edge of the crust starts to brown too quickly. Uncover for at least the last 5 minutes. If desired, place under the broiler for the last few minutes to brown the top a bit (be careful not to burn!).

Week 61, Recipe 3: Make-ahead Sausage & Cheese Ravioli Bake

Photo by Taste of Home

 

NOTES:

• I currently work on Wednesdays and Fridays so am always looking for make-ahead recipes for those two days. I assembled this easy casserole on a Tuesday evening in about 15 minutes then froze. On Wednesday morning before I left for work, I put the frozen casserole into the oven and set the timer for it to cook and be ready at 5:15 when my husband comes home with the kids. We'll be making this again, it was so easy and good.
• Next time I'll probably add a package of frozen spinach, cooked & drained to get some more veggies.
• I'm labeling this post both as "Pork" and "Vegetarian" because you can easily leave out the sausage and still have a delicious entree. Add spinach, sauteed mushrooms, etc. if desired.
• Recipe modified from Taste of Home
• Like all freezer recipes, while you're at it double the recipe and make two of these so you'll have one to freeze and pull out later! You'll be glad you did on that busy weeknight a month from now.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 25 oz. package frozen cheese ravioli
• 1 lb Italian sausage (breakfast or spicy)
• 1 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
• 1 egg, lightly beaten  
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 2 jars spaghetti sauce (look for one with low sugar - bottles sauces tend to add unnecessary sugar!)
• 2 c. shredded Italian cheese blend
• See my "NOTES" above about adding frozen spinach, sauteed mushroom, etc. if desired

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink; drain (see my TIP below recipe for cooking sausage).
2. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, basil and seasoning.
3. Cook ravioli according to package directions then drain.
4. Spoon about 1 1/3 c. spaghetti sauce into a lightly greased 13 x 9-inch casserole dish. Layer with half of the ravioli and sausage. Spoon all of the ricotta mixture over sausage and top with 1 1/3 c. sauce. Layer with remaining ravioli and sausage. Spread remaining sauce over top and sprinkle with cheese.
5. Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350. Uncover and bake 5-10 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

 

 

SAUSAGE COOKING TIP:

When I cook sausage, I like to cook it for a few minutes in a little oil (or spray pan with spray oil) while breaking it up with a flat wooden spoon. Then I add about 1/3 c. water to the hot skillet and get that water simmering, while continuing to break up sausage. The water helps cook the inside of the sausage before the edges get too brown. Once the water has evaporated, let the sausage cook a bit longer to get the edges just slightly browned. This works well for crumbled sausage as well as sausage links.

Week 61, Recipe 5: Baked Pork Loin with Seasoned Crust

 



NOTES:

• Make the spice rub and rub over roast the night before you want to make it. Refrigerate it over night. It takes a hour to an hour and a half to bake. It made for a super tasty pork roast!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground mustard
• 1-1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 boneless pork loin roast (3 to 3-1/2 pounds)

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the first eight ingredients; rub over entire roast. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Place roast on a greased rack in a roasting pan.
2. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for about 1 1/2 hours (about 25 minutes per pound of meat) or until a meat thermometer reads 145°. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Week 60, Recipe 1: Baked Pork Chops with Stuffing

NOTES

• A very flavorful and moist pork chop recipe. It's a great recipe for a weeknight when you're home early enough to pop in the oven (bakes for 1 hour) or for a Sunday lunch. Perfect for these winter months!
• This recipe is from my mom.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 pork chops, bone-in or boneless
• 3 c. soft breadcrumbs (about 3 slices of bread - white or wheat - cubed)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/4 c. butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp sage
• 2 small cans cream of mushroom soup

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large saucepan with a little oil, brown chops on both sides and place in a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, mix the cubed bread, chopped onion, butter, and sage. Place a mound of stuffing on each pork chop.
3. In another bowl, whisk 2/3 c. water into the soups and pour over the pork chops and stuffing.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Week 60, Recipe 2: Lasagna Soup

 

 

Picture from A Farmgirl's Dabbles blog

 

NOTES

•  Got the recipe from my friend Emily who got it from A Farmgirls's Dabbles blog. I modified it slightly.
• Tastes like lasagna and is sooo good! We've made this probably 3-4 times now....and somehow I have yet to take a picture!
• Make this soup the night or morning before you want to eat it. You can also make the pasta and cheesy topping and store separately in containers in the fridge. Then reheat and serve!

INGREDIENTS

 

For soup:

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
• 3 c. chopped onions
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 T. tomato paste
• 1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 c. chicken broth
• 10 oz. pasta - I like the mini bowties or mini rotini/fusilli
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Mozzarella cheese, grated, for topping

Cheesy topping:

• 8 oz. ricotta
• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces. Cook for a few minutes until skillet is nice and hot then add a few tablespoons of water and let that sizzle and evaporate while the sausage cooks (helps keep it from burning).
2. Once the water has evaporated, add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute.
3. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.
4. Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to directions. Drain and run cool water over it. Set aside.
6. Assemble the cheesy topping in a small bowl.
7. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. It will probably need at least 1 teaspoon salt. Start with that and re-taste. If it still tastes dull, add a bit more.
8. To serve, spoon pasta into each bowl then add soup and stir. Top with a good dollop of the cheesy topping and some grated mozzarella. Enjoy!

Week 59, Recipe 5: Ham & Mushroom Quiche

NOTES

• I love quiche. They are easy to assemble and make great leftovers. Double the recipe and make 2 if you want!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pie crust
• 6 eggs
• 1 small container white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 c. diced ham
• 3/4 c. shredded cheese (I used Swiss but Cheddar would also be good)
• 1/2 c. whole milk or half-and-half
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• Salt and pepper (approximately 1/2 tsp each)
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425 and place a cookie sheet on the oven rack in the lower middle position. If using a frozen crust, let thaw at room temp about 10 minutes. Prick several times with the tines of a fork and cook for about 8 minutes or until starting to look dry.
2. Meanwhile, saute mushrooms in 2 tbsp butter until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chopped green onions and saute 1 minute.
3. In a large bowl, whisk eggs and milk. Add salt, pepper, and dry mustard.
4. Remove hot pie crust on the cookie sheet. Lower oven temp to 375. Layer half of the cheese on the bottom of the crust then add the ham and mushroom mixture. Pour the egg mixture over top and sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
5. Return pie on the cookie sheet to the oven and bake 40-55 minutes or until top is browned and puffy and egg is set. If the top starts to brown too much before egg is set, cover with foil.

Week 58, Recipe 1: Cheddar Bacon Spinach Quiche

NOTES

• You can mix the egg and milk mixture ahead of time and keep in an airtight container in the fridge. I also make my bacon ahead of time, let cool, then crumble until ready to use (not sure how long it's good at room temp but I've kept mine out for approximately 8 hours and it was fine!).
• The recipe below makes one quiche but go ahead and double it....the leftovers are great the next day!
• I've messed around with frozen pie crusts quite a bit, trying to figure out the best way to keep the bottom of the crust from getting soggy. Cooking it first without any filling then adding the cheese on the bottom before adding the eggs seems to do it!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 frozen pie crust or make your own
• 6 large eggs
• 1 c. half-and-half or whole milk or 2% or a mixture (feel free to use whatever you have!)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
• 4-6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• approximately 4 c. fresh baby spinach, sauteed in a bit of oil over medium low heat until just wilted (I also salt it a bit and use freshly ground pepper to season spinach)
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped

DIRECTIONS
1. Remove frozen pie crust from freezer about 15 minutes before you want to cook it. Preheat oven to 400 and place a baking sheet on the middle rack where you'll cook the quiche.
2. Meanwhile, (if you haven't already), cook bacon in microwave or on stove top and saute spinach until just wilted. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.
2. Prick slightly thawed pie crust several times with the tines of a fork and place in preheated oven on baking sheet. Cook about 5-10 minutes or until starting to look dry and a bit golden. Turn down oven temp to 375.
3. Remove pie crust from oven and cover bottom with 3/4 c. cheese. Top with spinach, bacon and green onions then slowly pour egg mixture over the top (you may have a bit leftover). Top with remaining 1/4 c. cheese. Place quiche back in 375 oven on top of baking sheet.
4. Cook about 40-50 minutes or until quiche filling is set and top is lightly browned. Towards the end of cooking, you may have to put thin pieces of foil around the pie crusts edges to keep them from browning too much.

Week 58, Recipe 4: Marinated Grilled Pork Chops

NOTES

• An easy dinner or Sunday lunch. Marinate pork chops at least 1 hour, or up to all day.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 c honey
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Pork chops (we used boneless but bone-in would be good too!)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Whisk or shake in a jar with a tight fitting lid the marinade ingredients - honey through red pepper flakes.

2. Sprinkle pork generously with salt and pepper and then place in a resealable ziplock bag or a casserole container with a lid and pour marinade over top, stirring around a bit to coat evenly. Marinate for 1 hour or up to all day.

3. Preheat grill and cook about 5 minutes per side (depending on thickness).

Week 57, Recipe 1: Marinated Savory Grilled Pork Chops

NOTES

• This is an easy marinade and made for some tasty and tender chops!
• Recipe was found on food.com.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 c. water
• 1/3 c. light soy sauce
• 1/4 c. canola or vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 pork loin chops, fat removed

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine all the ingredients in a deep bowl and add chops. Coat chops evenly and marinate at least 2 hours, up to all day.
2. Grill about 5-7 minutes per side.

Week 57, Recipe 3: Corn Tortilla Quiche with Sausage & Green Chiles

NOTES

•  I've never made a corn tortilla crust but this was good! It didn't cut very well but it didn't matter because it tasted wonderful.

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 pound pork sausage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 6-7 6-inch corn tortillas
• 1 c. shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
• 1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 c. canned chopped green chiles, drained (or 1 fresh Anaheim, chopped)
• 8 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 c. milk
• 1/2 c. sour cream
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 c. minced fresh cilantro (optional)
• sour cream, salsa, etc. for topping

DIRECTIONS

1. In a skillet, cook the sausage and onion (and fresh Anaheim if using) until sausage is cooked through; drain. Add spices and canned chiles and 1/4 c. water. Bring to a boil and simmer until water has evaporated.

2. Grease a 9-inch pie plate and place 5-6 tortillas in a greased 9-in. pie plate, overlapping and extending 1/2 in. beyond rim. Place remaining tortilla in the center. Layer with sausage mixture, Monterrey Jack and cheddar cheeses.

3. In a large bowl, whisk eggs and add sour cream and milk. Slowly pour over sausage and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until the center is set and puffed. If needed, cook at 375 for last 15 minutes to set the middle or turn on the broiler for the last few minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro if desired. Let cool 5-10 minutes on a cooling rack before cutting into wedges.               

4. Serve with sour cream, salsa, etc.



Week 56, Recipe 4: Muffin Tin Frittatas

 

 

NOTES

• These are great! Easy to make and leftovers keep well. Modify them according to what veggies you have on hand and what meat (try ham, bacon, sausage, etc.) you want.
• Recipe makes 12 muffin-tin frittatas.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 eggs
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 c. shredded cheese of choice
• 1 c. of chopped veggies of choice (chop them pretty fine) - try bell peppers, green onions, zucchini, mushrooms, asparagus, etc.
• 1/2 c. cooked, chopped (or crumbled) meat of choice (optional)
 

DIRECTIONS

1. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin well with oil. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Whisk milk, eggs, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
3. Sauté veggies over medium low heat in a little butter for about 3-5 minutes or until just softened. Mix with cheese and meat (if using) in a bowl.
4. Place a small amount of veggie/cheese/meat mixture in each muffin tin. Pour egg mixture in each cup, filling about 2/3 full.
5. Bake about 20-25 minutes or until set in the center (you can broil them for a few minutes at the end in order to brown the tops a bit). Remove and serve or cool on a wire rack before refrigerating for later.

Week 55, Recipe 3: 10-Minute Pan-Fried Pork Chops

NOTES

• Recipe and picture from www.thepionerwoman.com

INGREDIENTS

• very thin bone-in pork chops (breakfast chops) or thin slices of pork without bone
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp seasoned salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1/2 c. canola oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• extra salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Rinse pork chops and pat dry with paper towel. Salt and pepper both sides of the pork chops.
2. In a shallow bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Dredge each side of the pork chops in the flour mixture, then set aside on a plate.
3. Heat canola oil over medium to medium-high heat in a large skillet and add the butter. When butter is melted and butter/oil mixture is hot, cook 3 pork chops at a time, 2 to 3 minutes on the first side; 1 to 2 minutes on the other side or until throughly cooked. If they are thin chops, they don't take long! (Make sure no pink juices remain.) Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining porch chops.

Week 54, Recipe 1: Pork Egg Rolls

Not the best picture, but you get the idea!

NOTES

• I've never made egg rolls before so wasn't sure what I was getting into. They turned out really good!
• You can make the filling ahead of time then just roll and fry. This would make it a quick 15-20 minutes prep when you're ready to eat.
• I would have used a deep fat fryer (yikes!) if I had one but frying them on one side in a large skillet then turning them to fry on the other side worked well.
• Original recipe from Martha Stewart
• I haven't tried, but the original recipe said you can freeze the egg rolls. I froze them after frying them and then just plan to reheat in the oven. Not sure if I'll thaw them partially or completely before reheating. I think you could also freeze them before frying. I would then thaw them in the fridge overnight then fry.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon light-brown sugar
• 6 cups (48 ounces) vegetable oil
• 1 napa cabbage (about 2 1/2 pounds), thinly sliced
• 4 medium carrots, coarsely grated
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 pound ground pork
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced
• 16 egg-roll wrappers (6 to 7 inches square)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten and place in a small bowl or shallow cup

1. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. In a large skillet, cook pork until it is no longer pink then add cabbage, carrots, garlic, and ginger. Season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing, until vegetables are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Raise heat to high and cook, tossing, until liquid has mostly evaporated (3 to 5 minutes),

2. Mix in scallions. Transfer mixture to a plate to cool then drain any excess liquid. 

3. Lay wrappers flat on a work surface. Brush beaten egg on edges with a pastry brush. (There should be instructions on the egg roll package but if not, place it on the counter with a corner at bottom. Place filling just above that bottom corner then fold in bottom corner up over filling, tucking corner under the filling. Then fold in side corners toward center of wrapper then roll up tight from bottom to top corner).

4. Cover the bottom of a skillet with 1/2-inch of oil and heat over medium-high heat. Fry egg rolls, in batches of 4, until lightly browned. Turn over using a tongs and fry on the other side. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.

Week 53, Recipe 1: Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage

Notes:

• This recipe is freezer friendly and filled two round casserole dishes.
• Substitute the chicken for pork sausage if desired (or leave it out all together and add some sauteed zucchini or mushrooms).
• You can bake the recipe frozen (takes about an hour and a half) or thaw in fridge and bake for about 45 minutes or do what I did and put the recipe frozen into your oven in the morning and set the bake timer so it's ready when you come home.
• Original recipe from Martha Stewart

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium red onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes with juice, lightly crushed with hands
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 c. heavy cream (half-and-half would be fine)
• 1 lb pasta (penne, rigatoni, etc.)
• 2 frozen cartons of chopped spinach, cooked in microwave according to package directions and then squeezed of excess liquid once cool
• 12 oz smoked chicken sausage links
• about 1 c. of grated Parmesan, Fontina, or Asiago cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Cook sausage links in a little oil over medium heat until sizzling. Add a little water to the bottom of the pan (about 1/2 cup), turn heat to medium low and cover, turning every few minutes until water has evaporated and sausage is cooked through. Remove sausages to cool and once cook, slice into 1/4-inch thick slices, slightly on the diagonal.  
2. Cook pasta according to package directions.
3. Meanwhile, in the same pan (drain any excess water), add oil and cook onion until translucent over low heat about 4 minutes. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds.
4. Stir in tomatoes and oregano, cook until tomatoes are falling apart, about 10 minutes.
5. Add cream; cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper as desired.
6. Once pasta is cooked, drain and return to large pot. Add tomato sauce, sausage, the chopped cooked (and drained) spinach, and about 1/2 c. of the cheese. Divide evenly between two greased round casserole dishes and top with remaining cheese.
7. Bake at 400 degrees, covered about 15 minutes then uncovered 5-10 minutes longer.

Week 53, Recipe 2: Potato, Ham & Cheese Frittata

Photo from pickypalate.com

NOTES:

• Frittatas are so easy! Save them for busy nights - you can saute the veggies ahead of time and then cook when you get home. There's only one large bowl and one large saucepan to wash!
• Leave out the potatoes and try a different veggie. Or leave out the ham and add a veggie. Use more or less cheese or a different kind....I promise you won't mess it up! Frittatas are very versatile!
• I bake my frittatas on the stove, then put in the oven then finish with the broiler for a lightly browned top. If you don't have a good broiler, don't worry, frittatas do fine finishing in the oven.
• Double the recipe and make two while you're at it, frittatas make great leftovers!

INGREDIENTS

• 6 large eggs (for an 8-inch skillet; add a few more eggs for a larger skillet)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 chopped red pepper (optional)
• 2 small russet potatoes (or 1 large), peeled and cut into bite-size cubes
• oil
• 1 c. chopped ham
• 1/4 c. milk (or 1/2 c. if using a bigger skillet)
• 1/2 c. - 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 c. chopped parsley (or chives)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375.  In a 8-inch non-stick skillet heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat. When hot, add diced potatoes and spread out to a single layer. Cook, without disturbing for about 5 minutes then check the bottom of a potato. If starting to brown a little, stir them up and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Stir again, cover, and cook over medium-low heat until potatoes are tender, another 2-5 minutes. Remove potatoes to a plate.
2. In the same pan, add a little more oil if necessary and saute onions and peppers (if using) for 5 minutes. Add ham and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, salt, pepper and milk until well combined. Add cheese and parsley or chives if using and stir. Pour the egg/cheese mixture into hot skillet over veggies and cook for about 5 minutes, lifting the sides of the frittata and tiling pan so uncooked egg runs underneath.
4. Move frittata to oven (be sure to cover with foil any rubber on your skillet) and cook for about 15-15 minutes or until nearly completely set in the middle (you can check it with a toothpick). Then finish under the broiler for about 3 minutes or until lightly browned.
5. Remove from the skillet to a cutting board or plate and let cool for a few minutes before cutting into wedges.