Ham It Up

Another holiday draws to a close, which in my family means a full stomach and exhaustion from the sheer energy it takes to chew so much food. What a way to celebrate the risen Christ.

While I can’t quite remember exactly what my mother cooked in Easters past, I’m sure it involved a ham. I don’t know why or when Easter became synonymous with smoked pork butt, but it’s hard to imagine an Easter dinner or buffet without it. Even if one isn’t exactly a fan of the ham, there it generally sits on your Easter table.

While I wouldn’t say ham is my favorite food, I must admit that a spiral cut ham with a crunchy sugary glaze tastes really good to me, as long as it isn’t more often than once or twice a year. What’s more, as it sits on the buffet table, I am virtually unable to walk by it without picking a piece off of the bone. And I walk by it a lot, I’m afraid.

This year one of our sons and daughters-in-law hosted the Easter feast. Somehow, however, I ended up with a whole lot of the ham. I’m not sure how that happened. Oh, I know. It’s because I suggested to her that life as we know it would end if she threw away the ham bone.

“I haven’t the foggiest idea what I would do with it,” said the harried mother of four, “but I will send it home with you.”

So, there it sits in my refrigerator. I don’t have any problem thinking about what to do with the ham bone. There is Senate Bean Soup, of which I’ve spoken. I can also make green beans and ham, which has also been discussed in Simply Cooking Simply. There is, however, the matter of all of that ham which she left attached to the bone.

Hmmmm. I’ve been trying to think what my mother did with leftover ham. I recall eating ham with my eggs for breakfast in the morning. I also have a vague memory of creamed potatoes with ham, though I haven’t been able to find the recipe.

After putting on my thinking cap (and let’s not get started with that again), I came up with a couple of ideas.

My husband has never struggled with his masculinity when it comes to eating quiche. He has never found a pie he doesn’t like, nor has he ever met an egg concoction that he doesn’t like. Combine the two and you have a happy man. I found a lot of recipes that suggest making a piecrust from scratch, and far be it from me to discourage you from doing that. However, I give you permission to buy a good quality refrigerated piecrust in which to put your egg custard. They are so darn easy – you don’t even have to roll them out. Just lay them in your pie pan and fill it up. Here is a wonderful recipe from Taste of Home. Personally, I would substitute Swiss cheese because I love the combination of Swiss cheese and ham. Suit yourself. Make a couple of quiches and freeze one for later.

My second idea has to do with baking potatoes. I’m a fan of twice-baked potatoes, but I’ve never prepared one for dinner. But a baked potato filled with ham and cheese sounds like a substantial and relatively easy dinner.

Bake a couple of russet potatoes until they are soft. In our altitude, it takes an hour-and-a-half at 375 to completely cook. Once they are soft, cut a small section off of the top of each potato and scoop out the potato into a large bowl. Add cooked diced ham, maybe a cup or so, along with some cheese. Add a couple of dollops of sour cream, or a bit of half-and-half or milk. You can also add some cooked onion or mushrooms – really anything that sounds good and that you have in the refrigerator. Add salt and pepper. Carefully refill the potatoes (which will now be overstuffed and delicious), top with some more of the cheese, and bake in a preheated 450-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Serve with a tossed salad.

Personally, I would prefer leg of lamb for Easter, but that rarely appears on my table. Unfortunately, I’m the only one who likes lamb. Oh well.

Happy Easter to all my friends and family.