Food Friday: Ham Asparagus Gratin

Here is a new recipe we found on the back of a Campbell's Cream of Asparagus can that is just perfect for spring, especially as you are sitting at the table with your family, with the windows wide open letting in the evening's fresh air.

This refreshing casserole is a nice substitute for winter's potato gratin and is a good way to use asparagus that is in season right now as well as leftover ham. Personally I cannot wait to try it with wild asparagus.

1 can Campbell's Condensed Cream of Asparagus Soup
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked cut asparagus
1 1/2 cups cubed, cooked ham
2 1/4 cups rotini pasta, cooked and drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook pasta according to directions. Cut and steam asparagus. Then stir soup, milk, onion powder, black pepper, asparagus, ham, pasta, and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese in baking dish. Bake 25 minutes or until ham mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Food Friday: Crock-Pot Ham and Scalloped Potatoes

Here is great slow-cooker recipe from a family friend. You know one of those comfort foods, especially this cold weekend. I plan on using the leftover Christmas ham from the freezer for this.


Crock-Pot Ham and Scalloped Potatoes

6-8 slices of cubed ham
8-10 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 onion peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup grated cheddar or American cheese
1 10 ounce can cream of celery or cream of mushroom soup
paprika to taste (optional)

Chunk ham in pieces. Put half of the ham, potatoes, and onions in crock-pot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then top with grated cheese. Repeat with remaining half of everything, then add undiluted soup over top. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4 hours. Increase by half for 5 quart cooker.

Food Friday: Shepherd's Pie

This dish requires minimal prep work and utilizes many ingredients that you are likely to have on hand on any given day. It is a hearty, healthy meal and can easily feed four adults.

Ingredients

• 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
  
• 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
  
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 lb bag frozen vegetables
  
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• Lawry's Seasoned Salt, salt and pepper to taste
• Dried parsley leaves
  

Directions

1. Mash potatoes in whatever fashion you are accustomed. I use a special microwave cooker from Pampered Chef - fast and easy. Mix in butter and two pressed cloves of garlic; set aside.
2. Cook ground beef until well browned with the dried onion flakes. Pour off excess fat, and set aside.
3. While ground beef is cooking, steam the frozen vegetables in a Ziploc "Zip and Steam" bag in the microwave. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
4. Spread the ground beef in an even layer on the bottom of a casserole dish. Cover with 3/4 of the shredded cheddar cheese. Layer steamed vegetables on top of the meat and cheese at an even depth and season to taste with Lawry's Seasoned Salt, salt and pepper. Top with the mashed potato mixture. Use a large spoon to create peaks in the mashed potato for a polished look when the dish is complete. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese and finish with dried parsley leaves.
   
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until browning begins. To darken the tips of the mashed potato peaks, broil for 2-3 minutes at the end of the baking time.
   

Food Friday: Hamburger Potato Bake

Good Friday afternoon! Today, I wanted to share a really great recipe for breastfeeding moms. Why?

When people brought me meals as a new mom, I remember enjoying them so much. All the meals were great but I craved the calories tied to meals with meat and potatoes. These meals offered the energy I so desperately needed feeding for a newborn and caring for myself.

One kind friend brought us this meal and taking the first bite, I was sold. I actually felt full. We liked it so much that we had her bring it again later on. Then finally, we nabbed the recipe from her so that we could make it ourselves.

Now note, this recipe is worth all the calories for a new mom who actually needs to intake more calories to breastfeed than when pregnant. However, if you still want to enjoy it, you can always buy the "lighter" ingredients. And if you are really good, you can be like my friend and actually turn it into a vegan dish.

Enjoy eating this easy staple!

Hamburger Potato Bake

1 pound of ground beef
1 medium chopped onion
2 cups of cheddar cheese
1 can of French's Fried Onions
2 pound bag of frozen potato cubes (with peppers in them)
1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
16 ounce container of sour cream

Cook meat and onions. Combine soups, sour cream, and cheese into another bowl to mix. Then stir in potatoes, followed by the meat mixture, and finally fried onions. Pour the entire mixture into a 9 by 13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for one hour if the potatoes are thawed. If potatoes are frozen, then allow a 1 1/2 baking time. This recipe makes excellent frozen meals and provides great leftovers.