Cheesy Ham Sauce over Eggs

Christmas morning is not the time that you want to be laboring over the stove, and yet you want to serve your family and/or friends a lovely, special breakfast suitable to the occasion. Here’s the way to do most of the work the day before. This wonderful, flavorful Cheesy Ham Sauce is quite the crowd pleaser. The beauty of it is that it can be made one to two days ahead of time and simply reheated. Use it as a topping for toasted English muffins, toast points, or as I like to use it, on top of an omelet or scrambled eggs. You can even ladle some over a poached egg. It makes a lovely presentation, a hearty meal, and something very special without a lot of work in the morning that you plan to serve it.

Cheesy Ham Sauce over Eggs

½ c. butter
¼ c. flour
1½ c. whole milk
½ c. water
1 t. chicken soup base
¾ c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 t. prepared mustard
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
2 c. cooked ham, cubed
½ c. sliced mushrooms
¼ c. ripe olives, halved
¼ c. chopped Melissa’s roasted red peppers
¼ c. scallions, diced

In a medium sauce pan melt butter. Blend in flour. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes until the flour becomes amber in color. Slowly pour in milk, water, and soup base. Cook and stir until thickened. Add cheese, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce, stirring until cheese melts. Add ham, mushrooms, olives, red peppers, and scallions. Stir to combine and heat through. At this point it can be poured over the top of omelets, a baked egg casserole, or scrambled eggs.

This can be made ahead and stored in a covered dish in the refrigerator for up to two days.

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Baked Three Cheese Onion Dip

One of the things that I love about the upcoming holiday season is also one of the things that I hate about the upcoming holiday season, namely all of the party food. I LOVE party food, but a person can get too much of that, and long for meatloaf and mashed potatoes. One thing I enjoy, particularly during a season of cold weather, is a hot dip. I have had this recipe in my stash for some time. I’m not sure as to the origin, but I will say that it is very good. Honestly, considering the rather mundane ingredients, I wasn’t expecting it to be as over-the-top delicious as it really is. Be sure to include the pickled yellow peppers. They are a rather recent discovery of mine and I love them! They’re not as hot as jalapeños, more flavorful (in my opinion), and are so good on sandwiches as well. You will be the hit of the party with this delicious crowd pleaser. If any is left over, which I doubt, it makes a wonderful sandwich spread, and super delicious filling for an omelet.

Baked Three Cheese Onion Dip

2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
½ c. Duke’s mayonnaise
2 t. cornstarch
1 c. sharp white cheddar, coarsely grated, divided
½ c. Monterey Jack, coarsely grated, divided
¼ c. chopped Melissa’s pickled yellow peppers, + more for garnish
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 T. chopped chives

Preheat oven to 375° F. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Let cool.

In a medium bowl, with a hand mixture, beat cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth and creamy.

Toss cornstarch, ¾ cup of cheddar, and ¼ cup Monterey Jack in a medium bowl to coat cheese. Add to cream cheese mixture along with the peppers and cooked onion; season with salt and pepper. Turn into a 1-quart baking dish and top with remaining cheddar and Monterey Jack. Bake until golden and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Let dip cool five minutes, then top with chives and additional peppers. Serve with crackers, crudités, or slices of apple.

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Party Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

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The 70s is the decade that I remember most vividly from my youth. It was a lovely time of backyards and barbecues, stay-home mothers who raised their children happily without being ostracized by society, bridge parties, ladies who lunch, and casseroles. Because my mother was a busy woman, she was also the casserole queen. This was one of my favorites back then, and I had such a hankering for it this week that I had to make it. In the process, I decided to give it a bit of an update by adding a jar of hearts of palm, and substituting insipid pimientos, for flavorful roasted red peppers. Wow! That took it right over the top.

This is an easy casserole to put together because all you do is dump the ingredients into a large mixing bowl, mix them together, and bake until hot and bubbly. The aroma is heavenly, and this delicious casserole serves a crowd. It can be easily turned into a vegetarian dish by leaving out the chicken. You can replace it with tofu if you like (frankly, that stuff tastes like caulk to me, but I don’t judge), or leave it out all together. Surprisingly, it is equally good cold. Consider serving leftovers for lunch, mounded on a bed of greens. You can also make it ahead, and bake it the next day, or put it together and freeze it to enjoy later. Here’s to the 70s!

Party Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

2 Melissa’s shallots, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 14.8-oz. jar Melissa’s Hearts of Palm, ¼” sliced
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 6-oz. box long grain and wild rice, cooked according to pkg. directions
½ c. diced Melissa’s roasted red peppers
1 t. kosher salt
1 14.5-oz. can cream of celery soup
1 14.5-oz can French style green beans, drained
1 c. Duke’s mayonnaise
1/2 c. slivered almonds, toasted (reserve 1 T. For top)
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
Paprika

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 1½ -qt. casserole with Pam; set aside.

Place all ingredients (with the exception of the tablespoon of reserved slivered almonds, the ½ c. Parmesan cheese and paprika), into a large bowl and mix it together. Turn it out into your prepared casserole and top it with the almonds, cheese, and paprika. Place it in the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the top is golden and it is bubbling around the sides.

 Serves 6.

 

 

Jicama Spinach Dip with Hearts of Palm

If, like me, you are unfamiliar with jicama, let me educate you. This root vegetable with its yellow and papery skin is creamy white on the inside with a crisp texture similar to that of an apple or raw potato. The flavor is slightly sweet, and the jicama is surprisingly juicy. It can be cooked, but is largely eaten raw, and, unlike apple or potato, will not turn dark if stored after slicing. It is high in dietary fiber, composed of 86-90% water, is low in saturated fat, and a good source of vitamin C. It’s also quite tasty!

Use a knife when you slice it — a vegetable peeler does not work well at all.

Slice it into cubes to toss in a salad, strips for dipping, or mince for including in this delicious dip/sandwich spread.

A word of warning, it makes A LOT (as Jed Clampet used to say “a heapin’ helpin’”), so be mindful of that. If you want to cut this recipe in half, you certainly can, in which case cut back on the soup mix(es) to 1/8 cup (2 Tablespoons). I served mine in these darling 5 oz. ramekins for which I never seem to run out of uses.

Jicama Spinach Dip with Hearts of Palm

1 c. mayonnaise

1 16-oz. container sour cream

1 1.8-oz. pkg. dry Leek OR Vegetable Soup Mix*

1 tsp. smoked paprika

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 c. peeled and minced Melissa's jicama

½ cup diced red pepper

½ cup diced Melissa’s Hearts of Palm

3 green onions, chopped

1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

Mix all ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl. Chill at least 3 hours or overnight. Keeps in the fridge for 2-3 days.

*I used half a pack of both (¼ cup of each)

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If you like Hearts of Palm like I do but prefer a warm dip, you will love this Baked Hearts of Palm Dip.

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Warm Almond Cakes with Cognac Grapes

It seems almost sinful that something this easy should be so good, but trust me when I tell you that it is. This luscious dessert -- that I contend would be equally good at breakfast or brunch as it is at dinner (Yes, I did have it for breakfast, if you must know.) -- simply must be added to your recipe repertoire. It’s like a cross between a rich almond cake and a chewy almond cookie. The grapes have a wonderful sweetness that adds an additional component to both taste and texture of this dessert to make it absolutely wonderful.

Warm Almond Cakes with Cognac Grapes

Adapted from epicurious.com

¼ cup Cognac

1 cup Melissa’s red Muscato grapes, halved

¾ cup whole blanched almonds*

½ cup sugar, divided

1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened

¾ teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon almond extract

2 large eggs

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

The day before you plan to make this dish, cut the grapes in half and soak them in the cognac. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F.

In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse almonds and 2 tablespoons of the sugar until finely ground. Pulse in flour and salt; set aside.

Beat together butter and remaining 6 tablespoons sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in extracts. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and beat in ground almonds, flour, and salt mixture until just combined.

Divide batter among 4 shallow 1/3-cup (1/2" deep) gratin dishes (I used these), and press grapes lightly into batter (discard Cognac). Bake in dishes on a baking sheet until cake is firm and pale golden with slightly darker edges, about 20 minutes. Transfer cakes to a rack and cool slightly in dishes before serving.

*I used what I had on hand -- Blue Diamond Low Sodium Lightly Salted Almonds that I buy in 16-oz. bags and keep in the freezer. In this case, I did not add the additional salt. I like the speckled look the whole almonds with their skins gave this dessert. Really, you can use whatever you have, just measure it out, and grind it up.

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If you love almond like I do, then you will enjoy this Almond Yogurt Pound Cake.

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Prosperity Sandwiches

I am happy to say that the Meal Plan I set out for myself at the beginning of the week worked exceptionally well, so I plan to continue this. One of the things I found curious was the number of you who asked me about the Prosperity Sandwich. I suppose when you grow up with something it never occurs to you that that something may be a regional dish that no one else has heard of. So, growing up with pork steaks, toasted ravioli, and gooey butter cake, it never once occurred to me that these were all St. Louis things, as is the Prosperity Sandwich. It dates back to the 1920s with origins at the Mayfair Hotel in St. Louis. The recipe was published years ago in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and has long been enjoyed by people in the area.

I remember my mother making this a lot in the 70s. It is a wonderfully satisfying hot sandwich, perfect for serving to a group of ladies at a luncheon because everything can be made ahead. The sauce can be made the day before and reheated, the bread can be toasted ahead of time, the tomatoes sliced, the meats sorted, and bacon (my mother’s addition) can be made a day ahead and then placed on top of each serving prior to sliding it under the broiler. Rustic bread works the best, but in a pinch it can be served over sandwich bread toast points. This knife and fork sandwich is also a hearty meal, so you won’t need to serve anything else with it.

Prosperity Sandwiches

 As appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Serves 4

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 oz. white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
1 Melissa’s shallot, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup flour
2 cups whole milk
8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon pepper
4 (3/4-inch-thick) slices rustic white bread
8 ounces thinly sliced roast turkey
8 ounces thinly sliced deli ham
2 tomatoes, cored, cut into 8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices, and patted dry

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, shallot, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to bowl.

Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in now-empty saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Off heat, stir in 1/2-cup cheddar, mustard, Worcestershire, and pepper; set aside.

Adjust oven rack 5 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil spray. Arrange bread slices on prepared baking sheet and broil until toasted, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Place bread slices into individual au gratin dishes. Divide mushroom mixture among toasted bread slices. Arrange 2 ounces turkey, 2 ounces ham, and 2 slices tomato over mushrooms on each slice of toast. Spoon 1/2-cup cheese sauce evenly over each sandwich and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar. Broil until cheddar is browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Serve.

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Another crowd-pleasing hot ham sandwich is this Open Faced Ham Sandwich.

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Lisa Fain’s Carrot Soufflé Texas Style

First of all, do not be put off by my pictures that make this wonderful soufflé look as flat as a pancake. I cut the recipe in half, because, hey, it’s just me, and kept debating which pan to use to bake it. It seemed like too much for my 8-inch pan, but not quite enough for my 10-inch pan. So I said to myself, “Pattie, go for the larger pan, you don’t want to use the smaller pan and have this overflow in your oven the week before Thanksgiving.” I had to agree with myself, so that’s what I did.

This recipe is from the wonderful Lisa Fain of Homesick Texan book and blog fame, and author of the book Queso, that I reviewed here. This dish is perfect for the holiday season. It is quick and easy to put together, utilizes ingredients that you probably already have on hand, is inexpensive to make, will please everyone at your gathering, and is light, airy, fluffy, and like sinking your teeth into a spicy carrot cloud. I cannot say enough about this dish. Given the proper spoon, I think I could have easily inhaled this entire pan full, it is that good!

While my Thanksgiving menu is already planned, I think this would pair marvelously with baked ham, so I’ll be serving it at Christmas. Wonderful!

Lisa Fain’s Carrot Soufflé Texas Style

1 pound baby carrots

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs, beaten

Place the carrots in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium and cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the carrots and place half in a blender or food processor. Place butter on top of the carrots, and then top with the remaining carrots.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish or cast-iron skillet.

When the butter has melted and the carrots have stopped steaming, add the flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, vanilla, and eggs. Puree all the ingredients until fluffy and smooth; pour into the prepared dish.

Bake uncovered for 50-55 minutes or until the casserole is puffed and the top is lightly browned. Serve warm, though it’s also good at room temperature or even cold.

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If you prefer your carrots on the cold side, this Fresh Carrot Dip is phenomenal!

This post is linked to:

Happiness is Homemade Sunday

What’s for Dinner Sunday

Smells Good Sunday

Dishing It & Digging It

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Spicy Ranch Crackers

I cannot tell you how many times, with a big dinner looming ahead, I have spent all of my time focusing on it, and not on the various nibbles that need to be served earlier with drinks. If this has happened to you, you’re going to love this recipe. There are variations for it all over the web, but having recently tried this one, I cannot recommend it enough. It’s very simple to put together, and can use a variety of crackers that you have on hand. If you don’t have Ritz crackers, use saltines, if you don’t have saltines, use oyster crackers, if you don’t have any of these, well, shop!

You can make them spicier by adding more pepper flakes, or lighten things up a bit by adding fewer. These are not only good prior to a meal, but make a nice bit of crunch when crumbled on top of a salad, or a wonderful accompaniment for a hot bowl of soup. You and your family are going to love these spicy bits of crunchy goodness.

Spicy Ranch Crackers

1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 packet Ranch Dressing Mix
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 box Ritz buttery round crackers

Preheat oven to 300° F.

Combine all ingredients EXCEPT crackers. Place crackers in a large bowl, pour mixture over it and toss to cover. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

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If you have more time, these Deceptively Delicious Bacon Yummies are another easy and well-liked nibble.

This post is linked to:

Happiness is Homemade Sunday

What’s for Dinner Sunday

Smells Good Sunday

Dishing It & Digging It

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