Central Oregonian

Loving holiday leftovers

Teresa Tooley

November 12, 2012

Once the feast is over, many home cooks are left with a plethora of leftovers and a challenge: how to make the most of what remains. While it’s hard to live up to that original holiday meal, there’s a lot more that you can do with leftover ham rather than just reheating.

This year, give leftovers new life with a week’s worth of versatile meals that can be enjoyed throughout the day. Start with a fully-cooked, naturally hickory smoked Smithfield Spiral Sliced Ham with a pecan praline glaze, and follow these simple steps to turn it into a potato-crusted ham quiche for brunch, a Monte Cristo sandwich for lunch, and a savory soup for dinner. You’ll leave friends and family asking for leftovers more often.

For more leftover recipes you’ll love, visit www.smithfield.com and www.facebook.com/CookingwithSmithfield.

Sugar Cookie Chex® Party Mix

Ingredients:

6 cups Rice Chex® cereal

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons corn syrup

2 teaspoons pure vanilla

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 ounce white baking chocolate or 1/4 cup vanilla milk chips

Directions:

Measure cereal in large microwaveable bowl. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper or foil.

In 2-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave butter uncovered on High 30 seconds or until melted. Add sugar and corn syrup; microwave uncovered on High 30 seconds until mixture is heated and can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.

Microwave uncovered on High 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute. Sprinkle with powdered sugar; mix well.

Spread on waxed paper or foil. Microwave white chocolate on High 30 seconds or until it can be stirred smooth; drizzle over top.

Iced Pumpkin Chex® Mix

Ingredients:

2 cups Cinnamon Chex® cereal

2 cups Wheat Chex® cereal

2 cups Honey Nut Chex® cereal

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup canned pumpkin

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 cup butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

Cream Cheese Icing

1 square (1 ounce) premium white chocolate

1 ounce cream cheese, softened

Ingredients:

Directions:

In large microwavable bowl, mix cereals and pumpkin seeds. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper or foil.

In small bowl, mix brown sugar, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice; set aside. In 2-cup microwaveable measuring cup, microwave butter on High about 30 seconds or until melted. Add pumpkin mixture; microwave about 30 seconds, or until hot. Stir in vanilla. Pour pumpkin-butter mixture over cereal and seeds, stirring until evenly coated. Microwave uncovered on High 5 minutes or until mixture begins to brown, stirring every minute. Spread on waxed paper to cool.

While mix is cooling, melt white chocolate in microwave on High 30 seconds; stir in softened cream cheese. Drizzle over top of mix; refrigerate 5 minutes or until set. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Potato-Crusted Ham Quiche

Ingredients:

2 cups of potatoes, raw and shredded

1/4 cup onion, minced

1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely diced

1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped

3 eggs, divided

Salt and pepper to taste

3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

3/4 cup smoked Gouda cheese, grated

1 cup Smithfield Spiral Ham, fully cooked and chopped

1 cup evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Spray quiche pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In medium bowl, mix potatoes, onion, pepper, chives, 1 beaten egg and salt and pepper to taste.

Press potato mixture evenly into crust shape up the side and on the bottom of the pan and spray again. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned on edges.

In a mixing bowl, combine cheeses. Remove crust from oven and layer the following: ham first, and then cheese mixture on top. In a bowl, beat together evaporated milk, remaining eggs, paprika, salt and pepper. Pour mixture on top of cheese and return to oven.

Bake about 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into middle of pie comes out clean. Allow to cool at least five minutes.

Ham and Cranberry Monte Cristo

Ingredients:

8 slices Smithfield Spiral Ham

8 slices bread (potato bread, challah, egg bread, or any other sweet soft bread)

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup whole cranberry sauce

1 cup baby arugula leaves

3 eggs

1/3 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon sugar

pinch nutmeg

tablespoon butter

Confectioners sugar for

garnish

Directions:

In shallow casserole dish, whisk eggs together with milk, vanilla, sugar and nutmeg. Spread equal amounts of cranberry sauce on one side of four slices of bread. Top cranberry sauce with two slices of ham, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/4 cup arugula. Top each stacked bread slice with the remaining four slices of bread. Gently press together.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium/low heat. Dip each sandwich into milk mixture. Turn and dip the other side. Place in the hot pan and cook until each sandwich is golden brown and the cheese has melted. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Dust with confectioners sugar and serve warm.