Just the ham, Ma'am.

Here are a couple great ways to use leftover ham. As a bonus, they are both super quick and easy.

Quiche Lorraine

Prepare ahead:
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/2 cup cubed ham or cooked, crumbled bacon or sausage
1/2 cup sauteed onions, peppers, and mushrooms (optional)

Put into an electric blender:
3 eggs
1/2 cup Bisquick
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste

Beat in blender for 20 seconds. Pour from blender into a 10-inch greased pie plate. Sprinkle cheese, ham and vegetables over egg mixture. Press gently into egg mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

This next recipe is for fried rice. Natalie loves it.

All the measurements here are guesstimations, and you can alter this according to whatever you have. I just make it when I have some leftover rice and ham.

Fried Rice
Ingredients:
1/2 cup cubed ham
2 eggs
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, sliced in small pieces
2 green onions, sliced in small pieces
1/4 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 to 2 cups cold rice (leftover and stored in fridge)
3 Tbsp. soy sauce

Pour a little oil into a large skillet or pan. Put in diced carrots and allow to cook alone for a few minutes. Then add celery, frozen peas, and onions. When mostly cooked, push into one section of the pan and crack the eggs on the other side. Scramble the eggs, then push to one section and add the cubed ham. Mix everything up, then push to outside of pan and pour a little oil in the middle. Add rice and soy sauce and stir with everything. Add more soy sauce if desired. I sometimes add a little ginger for something different.

Creamy Lemon Chicken

This is not an ordinary lemon chicken recipe. It is my go-to dish for when company comes. And it's so easy! You can start with frozen chicken--no thawing necessary!

Creamy Lemon Chicken

4 chicken breasts
2 tsp lemon pepper
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp parsley flakes (optional)

Sprinkle 1 tsp lemon pepper on breasts and bake 20 minutes in 350 degree oven. (If starting with frozen breasts, cook for 10 minutes, then sprinkle on lemon pepper, then cook remaining 20 minutes). Mix remaining ingredients together (including the other tsp of lemon pepper) and pour over partially baked chicken. Bake another 20-30 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before serving to let the sauce thicken.

I usually serve this with mashed potatoes and put some of the sauce on my potatoes (so yummy!) The best part is, if you have any leftover chicken and/or sauce, you can cook up some angel hair pasta the next day and mix it together! This also goes great with rice. It's a truly versatile dish that I come back to again and again.

Pizzadia

We created this to use up left-over tortillas. It's a fun thing to make with kids since they can help make their own 'pizzas'.

Ingredients:

Tortilla
Cheese
Tomato Paste

Optional: Pizza toppings (pepperoni, ham, olives, mushrooms...)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Set tortilla on a cookie sheet
3. Spread about 2 Tablespoons of Tomato Paste on a tortilla (not too much, or it'll get soggy)
4. Spread cheese and pizza ingredients on top (once again, go easy on the toppings and cheese!)
5. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until the edges of the 'pizzadia' are golden brown or crisp

Granted, it's not going to win any Michelin awards, but it's quick, it's easy, and it's versatile.