Thanks Giving Left Overs, I sigh, not!!!

Thanks giving just wouldn't feel right without a table piled with food; but after the party is over there's always the dilemma of left overs, and how many microwaved meals of meat, vegetables and potatoes can one really handle without going insane!!! But I just never feel like I can throw food away, especially after we've been doubly thankful for it at our thanks giving dinner. So, this year I planned a little better and we haven't had one microwaved meal of left overs!!! SCORE!!!

Our veggie and potato dishes were all casseroles which worked perfectly, everything could be done ahead of time at my leisure, and although I didn't freeze any this time they would all work perfectly frozen then pulled out the day before, and any leftovers were as good as the first day when re-heated again, it was just a win win win!!! 

Check out my post on thanks giving dinner 2017  for the recipes for our thanks giving dinner which was an absolute hit!!

This year we had a ham instead of turkey, at my husbands request, which isn't quite so versatile to use up, in my opinion, but fear not I got it figured!!!

CHEESE HAM AND EGG CONCOCTION(Serves 4)

The name of this dish comes from when I still lived at my parents, one evening my Mum asked me to make dinner with items she had to use up in the fridge and pantry before we went on vacation, and so this dish came about, my Mum enjoyed it so much that she often asked me to make "concoction" for dinner, referring to this or a variation of this!!

INGREDIENTS
Butter or margarine (to grease dish)
6 slices bread (cubed)
1 cup ham (cubed)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 tomato sliced
4 eggs
1 cup milk
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Thoroughly grease a 9x9 inch casserole
3. Layer half of the cubed bread over the base of the casserole.
4. Next layer the cubed ham then half the grated cheese.
5. Layer the rest of the bread followed by the sliced tomato then the remainder of the cheese.
6. Whisk the eggs together with the milk and add salt and pepper to taste then pour over the layered bread, ham, cheese and tomato.
7. Bake until risen and the egg is set (at our altitude it takes about 45 mins but at sea level it would probably be closer to 30 mins.)

CHEESY POTATO AND HAM HEARTY CHOWDER
(serves 6)

INGREDIENTS

3 slices bacon, chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped

3 tbsp all purpose flour

3 cups milk

1 1/2 cups stock

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Salt to taste

5 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

2 cups cooked ham, diced

2 cups grated cheese

1. Use a large pot and cook the bacon until crispy.

2. Remove the bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside.

3. Add the onion and carrot to the bacon fat and cook over a medium heat until soft.

4. Add the flour to the onion and carrot and stir until it soaks up the fat.

5. Add the milk and stock to the pan stirring continually until combined.

6. Add the ground pepper, salt and garlic powder.

7. Add the potato and cook until soft, about 20 minutes.

8. Add the ham and most of the cheese (reserve a little to sprinkle on the chowder when you serve it) and mix together.

9. At this point I transfer the chowder to a slow cooker to keep it warm until dinner time but if you are ready to eat immediately heat through until hot then serve with a sprinkle of cheese and crispy bacon on top.

CHEESE AND HAM QUICHE
(serves 6)

INGREDIENTS

For pastry:

8oz all purpose flour

4oz margarine

about 5 tbsp very cold water (from the fridge if possible) 

For Filling:

2 cups chopped cooked ham
2 cups cheese
1/2 cup milk
6 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste

Pastry
1. Flour a 12 inch quiche pan.
2. Rub (or use a food processor) the margarine into the flour until it resembles soft bread crumbs (handle the mix as little as possible)
3. Using a knife mix in water a table spoon at a time until the mixture begins to come together.
4. Bring the mixture together and form a ball.
5. Wrap the ball in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour. 
6. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface until it is about 1/2 cm thick then transfer to the quiche pan.

Filling
1. Pre-heat oven to 375F
2. Layer the chopped ham over the pastry.
3. Layer the cheese over the pastry.
4. Whisk the eggs then add the milk and mix.
5. Add the salt and pepper to the egg mixture then pour over the ham and cheese.
6. Bake until the quiche is golden and the egg is risen and set, usually 30-45 mins.

We like this served with a small baked potato and salad.

Leave your comments on these recipes below and other ways that you use up thanks giving ham!! I look forward to hearing from you.