I’m starting to put together my Easter menu. It will be a small gathering this year, but I want to make sure everyone leaves with a full stomach. The traditional main course at Easter contains baked ham and do I have a couple of tasty recipes to share with you.
“I changed up the recipe that my mom always used which was very good, but not enough flavor for me,” explains Amy Alusa (St. George, UT). “My family really loved it.”
Amy’s Easter Ham is cooked in the crock pot – a fabulous idea! This frees up the oven for other dishes. The ham doesn’t have a typical glaze. It’s a sweet juice with a little bit of clove to give it a spice. It’ll be great on your Easter table.
Or, try D. Courtney’s (Ames, IA) Tasty Baked Ham. “It fills the house with great aroma,” says D. and boy does it ever. One sniff and you know something good is cooking in the oven.
I really loved the sweet and tangy flavor. The maple syrup shines bright and there’s a slight bite from the Dijon mustard. It’s a flavorful combination.
Now that you’ve made the ham – and probably made too much – comes the fun part of a holiday. Leftovers!
Dishes like quiches and frittatas are great for reinventing leftovers. Three quiche-type recipes I love are Patty Bronson’s (Eugene, OR) Quinoa Crustless Ham and Kale Quiche, Lindsay Dougherty’s (Maple Shade, NJ) Ham & Cheese Sandwich Frittata and Tracey Fortier’s (Richmond Hill, GA) Ham and Cheese Pie.
Love quinoa? Never had it, but are curious? Don’t think you like it? Doesn’t matter! Patty’s Quinoa Crustless Ham and Kale Quiche is so danged good that I can’t imagine anyone not wanting to dig in for seconds.
If you’re not familiar with quinoa, it’s a seed originally found in the Andes Mountains. With a nutty flavor, it’s packed with amino acids and is a great source of calcium and iron.
Featuring ham, Swiss and Parmesan cheeses, onion, mushrooms, and spices, this quiche is packed with flavor. With so many ingredients and textures, I think everyone will love this.
“I love grilled ham and cheese, so I wanted to use those flavors in a breakfast-type dish,” shares Lindsay. “I came up with this Ham & Cheese Sandwich Frittata and it turned out great.”
Lindsay does call for deli ham in her recipe, but leftover baked ham will work great too. Packed with the garlic, onion, and mustard you taste those flavors in every bite. This quick and easy frittata is definitely hearty enough for dinner. What I really loved was the butter toasted bread addition – super yummy.
Another great recipe that works for dinner is Tracey’s Ham and Cheese Pie. The entire Kitchen Crew gobbled this ham and cheese pie up in no time.
When Tracey says it’s “so cheesy and so good” she’s not kidding. The Monterey Jack cheese melts really smooth and is rich, but the savory ham balances out the pie. The crescent dough makes the perfect buttery light crust. So good!
Hopefully, these recipes have provided a bit of inspiration for your Easter meal and what to do with leftovers. Happy Pinching!