101 Things to Do with Leftover Christmas Ham

Okay, so I may not know of exactly 101 things to do with the 3 pounds of Virginia ham I have leftover from the holidays, but I'm on a mission to use every salty scrap - and no one in this family is going to eat another ham biscuit or ham roll to make it happen (especially not me since I'm back to wheat-free living after a gluten-ous holiday). So I'm still basking in the glow of what I threw together tonight: Risotto Milanese southern style. Heavenly, IMO.

What I love about risotto is that it is like a blank canvas - like pizza, when you use this method of cooking you can add whatever herbs, vegetables, meats, and cheeses you have on hand and it will probably be good as long as you don't add too many. And you can make it with whatever grain you have on hand. I have successfully made risotto with bulgar wheat, brown rice and the standard Arborio rice. The one challenge is that it demands attention, so having a two-year old running around is not always optimal... but slightly older kids can easily participate by stirring the rice constantly.

While the traditional Italian risotto Milanese is made with prosciutto, I made it using country ham. For those of you who haven't experienced a Virginia ham, this salt-cured specialty is a tradition dating back to early American colonialists. It's very salty and, unlike a honey-baked ham or others, I look at this ham as an accompaniment, not a main dish - a little goes a long way - very much like Italian prosciutto which is dry-cured. That's why it's perfect for this dish. Additionally, I threw in some peas to make this a complete meal, but it would make a rich side-dish for just about any meat.

Risotto Milanese Southern Style

2 T olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
Large pinch saffron threads
1/4 cup chopped ham
1 cup Aborio or other short- or medium-grain rice
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
4-5 cups hot stock
1 T butter 1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan
1/2 cup cooked fresh peas

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium-high in a nonstick skillet. When oil is hot, add onion, ham and saffron, cooking until the onion is soft and translucent.
2. Add the rice and cook until it's glossy and coated with oil, about a minute or two.
3. Add the wine to deglaze the pan and let the liquid cook off.
4. Add stock (I prefer chicken but you can use vegetable or beef) 1/2 cup at a time, stirring after each addition. When the stock is just about evaporated, add more stirring frequently. Be careful to keep the rice moist enough that it does not stick to the pan.
5. Taste after about 20 minutes. When the rice is tender but is still slightly al dente, after 20-30 minutes, add peas with last 1/2 cup of stock and season with salt as needed. After most of the liquid is absorbed, remove from heat and add one tablespoon of butter, pepper and cheese to taste. Serve immediately.

Food as medicine: going gluten-free

I know it's trendy but I've done it: I've gone gluten-free. It's all the rage, believe it or not. A couple of months ago, when I was toying with the idea, and article in the Wall Street Journal talked about the gluten-free "diet" that many without celiac disease are going on to lose weight... and it's not effective.

But wheat and gluten sensitivity are real issues. According to WSJ, as many as twenty million Americans have a gluten sensitivity without having full-blown celiac disease. Symptoms often include depression, mental fogginess, and mood swings, to name a few. Those that know me may say that, at times, I might be sensitive to wheat, based on those symptoms alone. And they might be right... and I never knew it.

My journey to a wheat and gluten-free diet was driven less by my mood swings and mental fogginess and more by problematic skin that I've had since I was a kid. I can remember going to a dermatologist in fourth grade and on every birthday I thought, "This is going to be the year my skin clears up." So a few years ago I went to yet another dermatologist after years of having used every possible over-the-counter, prescription and cosmetic treatment out there. It didn't take long before the doctor diagnosed me with two problems: 1) I was a 20-something hormonal woman for which there was no hope and 2) I was sensitive to wheat. Well, number one was no big shock but I was a bit skeptical of number two... There was little formal testing except some sort of questionable "muscle response" test that involved me holding wheat in one hand while the doctor tested my muscle response on the other. And from that she determined a diagnosis.

I quickly asserted that 1) the doctor was a quack and 2) there was NO WAY I could give up wheat - what would happen to pizza night and pancake morning? Late night bowl of cereal? And let us not forget beer!

Wheat/gluten-free just wasn't gonna happen.

Fast forward to three years and one baby later: my skin was still not clear after becoming a thirty-something. So I did a little research. Much to my dismay I found claims that eliminating wheat can be effective treatment for skin problems. So I tried it... and I lasted a few days. But admittedly, it did seem to help a little. Grrr...

After a sun-and-alcohol soaked vacation in August, my skin was wrecked. Now, thirty years old, I was determined to find a cure. First stop: I made a commitment to going gluten-free. For real.

Not knowing if it is the wheat or gluten that affects me, I decided to eliminate sources of gluten and wheat - both of which are often used in processed foods as fillers and preservatives. I invested in pounds of quinoa and made sure I was stocked up on gluten-free oatmeal. I looked up recipes and swapped potatoes for bread. My expectations were low but I was hopeful... and miraculously, it worked!

My skin was noticeably clearer within a few days. I cheated the first weekend with "real" pizza, french toast casserole and soy sauce with my sushi, at which point my face was inflamed again, but went back to being "free" two days later. And you know what? After two weeks it's gotten a lot easier. Sure, I've had to be creative (and today I did eat the crust of my son's grilled cheese sandwich), but for the most part it's not so bad after all.

I'm still exploring foods that work for me and foods that don't - including if non-wheat sources of gluten (i.e. oats) have the same effect as wheat gluten. And the truth is that I'll probably have to cheat a little more this holiday season because I can't fathom going through it without pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie and gingerbread cookies - and, sorry folks, gluten-free flours just don't have the same quality and consistency. (Thank God this isn't life or death.)

In the meantime, I'll be sure to share with you my favorite wheat and/or gluten-free concoctions, starting with oatmeal squares (or 'momma's cereal bars' as they are known around here). These are great as a snack, or top them with sauteed apples and a little syrup for a hearty breakfast.


Baked Oatmeal Squares
(adapted from Virginia Bed and Breakfast Cookbook)

4 cups rolled oats (read the labels for gluten-free oats)
1/2 cup flour (I use oat flour that I make by grinding oatmeal in my coffee grinder until very fine)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup raisins
1/2 stick melted unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar or syrup (maple or brown rice pancake syrup)
1 egg
2 cups milk

Cinnamon and sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients and whisk to incorporate. Stir in melted butter and mix well. In a small bowl, beat eggs and milk; add to oats mixture and stir well. Pour mixture into a greased 8x11 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until set in center and edges are brown. Cut into 12 squares and serve warm. Freeze leftovers if desired.

Sweet Potato Lentil Stoup

Borrowing a Rachel Ray term, this is more like a "stoup" (soup/stew). Soup is difficult for my two year old to eat and since this cooks up nice and thick, I like to serve it over rice. In our house it's called "orange rice" - and, for whatever reason, the kid loves it! So do the adults.

Sweet Potato Lentil Stoup

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter or olive oil

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

3 large carrots, peeled and chopped

1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, pressed

3/4 cup red lentils or yellow split peas

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon red curry paste or 1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon tomato paste

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

plain yogurt for garnish

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Place the chopped sweet potatoes, carrots, apple, and onion in the pot. Sprinkle with salt and stir to cook the apples and vegetables until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for a minute.

2. Stir the lentils, ginger, ground black pepper, salt, cumin, chili powder, tomato paste, curry paste, and vegetable broth into the pot with the apple and vegetable mixture. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils and vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes (or longer if you are using split peas). Adjust seasoning as necessary.

3. Working in batches, pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot, or just leave as is.

4. Return the pureed soup to the cooking pot. Bring back to a simmer over medium-high heat, about 10 minutes. Add water as needed to thin the soup to your preferred consistency. Serve with yogurt for garnish.

*Note: if it gets thick and the lentils are still "al dente", add boiling water a half cup at a time and cook until tender. You may need to adjust the seasoning.

When life gives you milk, make yogurt

Today marks my second attempt at making yogurt. Both times have resulted from having an abundance of whole milk because my son became ill and didn't drink it for two weeks. I can't stand to waste food. Sometimes, in these situations, I let it turn to buttermilk and make loads of pancakes or scones, but with all the fresh strawberries out there right now I couldn't pass up the opportunity to have fresh plain yogurt and strawberries drizzled with honey at a fraction of the cost.

The first time I used this recipe and made yogurt entirely in the crockpot and it wasn't really suitable for eating. Sure, it was great for using in recipes but it's thin, runny consistency and lack of "tanginess" wasn't all that appetizing. I think this was mostly due to not keeping the crockpot warm enough. This time around I was hoping for something closer to Fage Greek yogurt, or atleast Yoplait custard-style, so I tweaked the directions a little.

1. First, I pre-heated the crockpot while I combined a half gallon of milk and 2/3 cup of nonfat dry milk in a saucepan and heated until almost boiling, about 200 degrees.
2. Second, I turned off the crockpot and wrapped it in a fleece blanket while I let the milk mixture cool to 110 degrees. I then scooped out 1/2 cup of the milk mixture and added it to a 1/2 cup of Fage yogurt. After gently mixing, I added it back to the milk and transferred to the already warmed crock pot and rewrapped it in a blanket.
3. Finally, I waited. And waited.... and, well, I'm still waiting. Periodically I check the temp to make sure it is still around 110 degrees, but I am doing my best to leave the yogurt undisturbed so those little bacteria can multiply.

So I'll update you tomorrow with the results.

But in the meantime, I'm hopeful this turns out well because some one in the house has been sick every day for the last month - and yogurt is fantastic at supporting a healthy immune system. Unfortunately I can't afford to buy the yogurt I really like (Fage 0%) all the time, and now there are few other yogurts that will suffice. It's also a great source of protein and calcium, and easier on the stomach than milk. Even those who are lactose-intolerant can enjoy yogurt because the live culture actually aids in digesting lactose.

One sweet way to use plain yogurt is this quick and easy dessert that tastes like ice cream without the guilt if you use nonfat yogurt. This is a recipe I stole from the Sneaky Chef (yes, a cookbook for kids) and have subsequently used as a base to create my own flavors by adding frozen berries or other fruit, or flavors like espresso or Kahlua. But you can't go wrong with the following (IMHO)!

Choco-banana Frozen Yogurt

1. Stick a ripe banana in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.
2. In a blender or food processor, add banana, 1/2 t cocoa powder, 2-3 T yogurt and 1 T sugar.
3. Blend until smooth.
4. It will be soft - if you like your frozen yogurt a little firmer, put it in the freezer for 20 minutes.

***UPDATE***

This morning I awoke to a creamy yogurt that has just the right amount of tang! Good stuff. Now, my next step is getting it to the consistency of Greek yogurt by straining it through a dishtowel-lined strainer. You can use a coffee filter for this process however I don't have any so I improvised. Regardless, this is a yogurt I can eat as is without this step but, hey, why not experiment?

Where have I been?

I was surprised to learn that a few people actually read my blog. And those few people are wondering where I've been. Mostly, I've been busy being a mom and wife... but I've also been spending my free time reading actual books instead of the internet (crazy, I know!) and being crafty with my sewing machine. Oh yeah, and one other thing I've been doing: packing up our house to move.

Moving is by no means fun but I anticipate that I will like our new place much more than our current SFH. So, I am excited. The ONE thing I will miss (other than the neighborhood) is my gas stove. (Do you know how difficult it is to find a gas stove in a townhouse? ) This is funny because the first week we moved in the pilot light went out on this old stove and we awoke one morning to dog vomit and gas fumes that had been leaking all night. Needless to say, as a highly emotional pregnant woman, I raised hell with our landlord and debated on re-packing our boxes and moving out because of this stove. In the end, the old gas stove has made many a wonderful meal.

Now that our move is right around the corner, we've taken on the task of eating everything in the house so that we don't have to move it 4 miles down the road. The premise sounds fun: don't go grocery shopping for weeks for anything but milk, fruit and vegetables, and use what's in the not one but two refrigerator/freezers and on the cupboard shelves. But what meals come of this method are interesting, to say the least. One of those meals actually turned out decent. I'm calling it "mock lasagna".

Mock Lasagna or Ravioli Casserole

(*Note, there are no measurements because I used whatever I had)

Frozen cheese/spinach ravioli (I used whatever was left in the bag of costco ravioli)

Provolone cheese slices

Fat-free sour cream

Shredded mozarella

Spaghetti sauce

meatballs

broccoli

Hubby bought a bag of chopped broccoli from Costco so I steamed several cups, chopped it up, and threw it back into the saucepan with the spaghetti sauce. Then I added some frozen meatballs (homemade from the Sneaky Chef cookbook-which means more broccoli and spinach-but Trader Joe's has great meatballs) and heated through until I could break up the meatballs to resemble ground beef.

I poured some sauce in the bottom of a 9X13 casserole dish and topped it with a single layer of ravioli. I then added a single layer of the provolone, spread on some sour cream and topped that with the broccoli/meat/spaghetti sauce mix. I only had enough ravioli to do one layer, but if you have more (or no-cook lasagna noodles) you can repeat. I topped it all off with mozzarella cheese and baked at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

The best part about this meal is that it took less than 20 minutes to throw together. I won't show you pictures because it's not real pretty, but it helped me clean out the fridge, tasted pretty good and was nutrient-packed - all in all, a success!

When life gives you bananas, make banana bread

I'm not sure when my love affair with banana bread began but I do recall that when I was in high school, we had "cake day" once a week at which point one of us would bring in cake to eat at break. Eventually, cake evolved into banana bread and I spent many nights trying various banana bread recipes to share with my classmates until I found the recipe that produced a dense, moist, bananaful bread. Since then, I have found a couple of other favorites, including Low-fat Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze which doesn't taste at all low fat.

But the old standby - tried and true, full of banana goodness - is a blueberry banana bread recipe I tweeked from the Southern Living's 1981 Annual Recipes cookbook. One change is that the original recipe calls for shortening but I've found only unsalted butter gives it the richness I like. While I do like some recipes that call for canola oil, it's true that butter makes everything better.

My husband has caught on that I "accidentally" buy too many bananas - more than we can eat before they begin to get soft and freckly. He, who will eat anything including brown bananas, now knows that those bananas are NOT to be eaten as they are, but to be preserved in bread (or frozen for bread to be made at a later date). I can't think of a more perfect way to eat bananas!

Blueberry Banana Bread

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups mashed bananas

1 cup flour

1/2 cup quick oats

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add bananas and mix until smooth.

Combine the dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture, stirring until just moistened. Stir in blueberries.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 9x5x3-inch loafpan. Bake for 60-70 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool (if you can resist cutting into it immediately). Yield: 1 loaf

Sweet Potato Pancakes

I am a big fan of breakfast. BIG. Every weekend I make pancakes. And while blueberry are the time-tested favorite around here, I am always up for trying something new. For me, making pancakes is an art, and one of the few I've perfected. In fact, I could probably devote an entire blog to my adventures with pancakes but I'll file that thought away for a rainy day. In the meantime, I'll tell you about this week's latest pancake creation that came about, once again, as a result of my son's affinity for bread and vegetables in masquerade.

Case Study #2 (see Sweet Potato Salad for #1): my son is still refusing sweet potatoes (as well as several other vegetables) as of late. This week I opened up a can of Glory's Sweet Potato casserole as a last ditch for vegetables on a there's-a-tired-boy-and-not-enough-time-to-cook evening. I've never had sweet potato casserole from a can but when I bought it months ago, I thought it might be a nice alternative to baby food. He tried it, I tried it, and quite honestly, I couldn't blame him for not wanting to eat it: overly sweet, weird aftertaste, it just didn't hold a candle to fresh sweet potatoes or a homemade casserole. After all, it was in a can.

But I hate waste so I saved it, determined to do something with it. I contemplated a sweet potato quick bread and muffins, but both required more effort and more fat than I wasn't interested in at the time. And so the next day, at 2 p.m., I made a batch of sweet potato and raisin pancakes, still thinking it would be a great way to sneak those fruits and veggies into my son. Moreover, what's great about these pancakes is that they are made with whole-grains, are low in fat, and are an easy make-ahead meal - I freeze them so they can be popped in the toaster for a quick breakfast or anytime snack.

Sweet Potato and Raisin Pancakes

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup wheat flour

1 T sugar (*omit if your sweet potatoes contain sugar)

2 t baking powder

1/2 t cinnamon

1 cup low fat milk

2 T melted butter

1 egg beaten

1 cup canned or mashed sweet potatoes

1/4 raisins

DIRECTIONS:

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In another bowl (or large glass measuring cup) combine wet ingredients. Words of wisdom: be careful not to add the egg to hot, melted butter or you'll have scrambled eggs. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until just moist. Do not over mix. Let batter sit for 5-10 minutes.

Lightly coat your griddle with cooking spray or butter. To give your 'cakes that buttery taste without all the butter, quickly rub the griddle with the end of a stick of butter just before pouring batter. Pour batter on and cook until bubbles begin to burst. Flip the cakes and cook until golden. Top your pancakes with yogurt and/or syrup for a delicious wake up call. You will have approximately 12, light and fluffy pancakes in no time flat.

Sweet Potato Salad

I never thought it could happen to me: my almost-one-year old son is a picky eater. The weird thing is as picky as he is, he is also quite the gourmand. He's not into baby food or "plain" food - he doesn't and never has eaten what he's "supposed" to eat. Take, for instance, that in his short little life he's begged for jambalaya, gobbled up veggie frittata, and loves nearly all mexican food. But if I put peaches (from my defunct peach cobbler) or (heaven forbid) carrots in front of him they're immediately thrown on the floor after one bite (which is also spit out). We grew out of pureed foods in one week and went right to quesadillas when he was only six months old. So in order to get this guy to eat healthy, if at all, I need to make those veggies flavorful and preferably, hidden.

Case Study 1: after he refused oven roasted sweet potato fries (um, YUM), I decided to try creating a sweet potato salad with those fries. I searched for a recipe on-line but didn't have all the ingredients to make any that I found so... I improvised. I roasted a red pepper on an open flame, finely minced some shallots, and whipped up a tangy mustard dressing to bring it all together, served room temp and topped with fresh parsley and parmesan. And surprise, it was a hit with both my boys.

Sweet Potato Salad

INGREDIENTS:

3 peeled, chopped sweet potatoes

1 red bell pepper

1 T minced shallot

2 T champagne vinegar (or any other vinegar, but this is a lighter, sweeter vinegar)

1 T grainy or Dijon mustard

2 T good quality extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Parmesan or Romano cheese

Fresh Parsley

(*note, all measurements are approximates as I didn't use any measuring utensils - season to taste!)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat over to 425 degrees or start the grill. Toss sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper - layer on a baking sheet for roasting or, alternatively, lay directly on grill. Roast until tender, about 25 minutes. While potatoes are cooking, place red pepper over an open flame - either on the grill or stove top - and roast until skin is blackened, turning frequently. Once pepper is sufficiently roasted, place in bowl and immediately cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 10-15 minutes - this will steam the pepper, making it easier to peel off the skin - and gently peel. Once peeled, deseed the pepper and chop. Add to medium sized bowl, along with potatoes. Whisk together shallot, vinegar, and mustard - slowly add olive oil while briskly whisking to create an emulsion. Add salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss dressing with potatoes and peppers. Top with shredded Parmesan and chopped parsley. If you can hold off, let it sit at room temperature for while so the flavors can meld. But if you can't resist and must eat it immediately then... Enjoy!

The Perfect Bridal Shower Cupcake

Recently I hosted a bridal shower for a dear friend of mine. I wanted the shower to be similar to afternoon tea, complete with dainty finger foods and champagne (note: no one drank the tea). I'm not normally a huge fan of cake but based on the ghastly reaction I received from my Maid of Honor when she asked what kind of cake I wanted at my own shower and I responded with "fruit tart," I wanted to be sure we had a cake in some form. Apparently this is appropriate "shower etiquette." So I set out to find The Perfect Bridal Shower Cupcake. And I think I found it... but not on the first try.

About the time I began planning the event (for a bride who is an event planner, no less) my mother gave me a cupcake cookbook with pictures to die for. After salivating over each page, I decided on the most girly and yet indulgent looking cupcake: the Frou Frou cupcake. The surprise is that it doesn't have chocolate - I dare say a staple among the female species and sure-fire winner- but instead is a delicate raspberry-coconut cake covered in coconut cream cheese frosting and topped with toasted coconut and raspberries.

Thankfully I planned to make the cakes ahead of time, "just in case," and freeze them unfrosted if they turned out well. I'm not sure if it was the suffocating heat and humidity that day or a mistake along the way, but the cakes didn't rise at all and looked and tasted more like a dense fruit cobbler. The husband found them to be buttery-rich and very tasty, but they weren't exactly what I was going for. So I headed back to the store for more ingredients and "just in case," I picked up a couple boxes of Trader Joe's Vanilla Cake mix with madagascar bourbon vanilla flavor.

Running short on time and energy with my almost-one year old in tow, I decided to cheat n use the cake mix, and adding raspberries and coconut to the batter. OH MY GAWD. Perfectly light and fluffy cakes, and the bourbon vanilla bean was a fantastic flavor addition and one I'm not sure if I could recreate on my own without some pricey ingredients. And then there was frosting. When I do eat cake I generally avoid the frosting but this homemade cake paint was To. Die. For. All together the constructed cupcake was a hit and friends are still talking about it... but shhh... they don't know it came from a mix!

So I'm including the original recipe from Cupcakes by Pamela Clark. Perhaps you'll have better luck with Frou Frou than I did, but if not, there's always T.J.'s cake mix!

Frou Frou Cupcakes

• 1 stick butter softened

• 1 cup sugar

• 3 eggs

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup Self-rising Flour

• 1/2 cup shredded coconut

• 1/3 cup sour cream

• 5 oz frozen raspberries

Cream cheese frosting

• 5 T butter softened

• 12 oz cream cheese softened

• 2 tsp coconut extract

• 3 cups powdered sugar

• Decorations

• 1 cup flaked coconut, toasted

• 15 fresh raspberries halved

1. Preheat oven to moderate 350 degrees. Line 6 hole texas or 12 hole standard muffin pan with paper cups.

2. Beat butter, sugar and eggs in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy.

3. Stir in sifted flour, coconut, cream and frozen raspberries. Divide mixture among cases, smooth surface.

4. Bake large cakes about 30 minutes, small cakes about 20 minutes. Turn cakes onto wire rack to cool.

5. Make cream cheese frosting.

6. Remove paper from cake, spread cake sides with frosting

7. Roll sides in coconut and then spread frosting on top surface and top with raspberries.

Cream cheese frosting:

Beat buttter, cream cheese and essence in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sifted icing sugar.