10 Recipes for Leftover Ham
Ham and Swiss Calzones
Of course, ham makes a great sandwich, but there are a lot more things you can do with it.
If you enjoyed a ham over the holidays, you may find yourself with leftovers. Here are some recipes for all that ham.
Ham is versatile and can be used in all sorts of dishes. Added to soups, stir fry, breads, salads and omelets it adds a wonderful smoky flavor to every dish. And of course, the ham bone can flavor a whole pot of soup.
So here are ten recipes you might want to try.
Ham and Swiss Calzones
4 c. flour
2 c. rye flour
2 T. sugar
2 t. salt
2 packages quick-rising yeast
2⅓ c. hot water
2 T. oil
2 lb. thin sliced ham- more or less
1 lb. sliced Swiss cheese
Thousand island dressing- recipe follows
1 egg , beaten
Set aside 2 cups of the all-purpose flour. Combine remaining flour with the other dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in water and oil and gradually stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Cover dough and let rest 20 minutes. Divide dough into 12 pieces and roll one piece into a 8 -inch circle. In the middle of the dough place 1 1/2 ounces of the Swiss cheese, a spoonful of the dressing and 2-3 ounces of the ham. Brush the edge of the dough with water. Fold over the dough in half and press the edges to seal. Brush the edge again with water and roll the edge over again. It will give you a prettier look and seal the calzone better. Repeat with remaining dough and fillings. Place calzones on greased baking sheets- or on a baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper liner. You will end up with 12 calzones in all. Only put 4 on one baking sheet. Cover and let rest 15 minutes while preheating the oven to 400 degrees. Before placing calzones in the oven brush with beaten egg and make a few slashes with a knife to help steam to escape while baking. I put 2 baking sheets in the oven at the same time and switch them halfway through baking. Bake in a preheated 400-degree for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. If baking 2 at once switch them after 10 minutes or so. Cool slightly before eating. Serve warm and refrigerate leftovers. Makes 12.
If you want to use regular yeast use warm, rather than hot water. Also, allow a little more time for the dough to rise the first time, about 40 minutes. Everything else will work the same.
Thousand Island Dressing
Combine equal parts of ketchup, mayo and sweet pickle relish. You likely need at least a cup for this recipe. I made extra so the sandwiches could be dipped in extra dressing, if desired.
Tortellini and Ham Salad
¼ c. olive oil
¼ c. red wine vinegar
1 t. fresh rosemary
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t. sugar, optional
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
12 oz. mushroom or cheese tortellini, cooked
1½ c. diced ham or turkey ham
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 c. sauteed, sliced mushrooms, cooled
4 green onions, chopped
Parmesan cheese, optional
Combine first 6 ingredients in large bowl and whisk to blend well. Add next 5 ingredients and toss to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve with Parmesan cheese on the side. Serves 4.
Corn and Ham Saute
1 T. oil
1 small onion, diced
1 c. diced ham
4 c. corn- fresh or frozen
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
In pan cook onion in oil until tender. Add the ham and cook a few minutes longer. Add corn and continue cooking until corn is heated through. Season to taste and serve. Serves 3-4.
Ham and Swiss Bread Florentine
3 ¼ c. flour
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1 package quick-rising yeast
1 c. hot water
1 T. oil
¼ c. Dijon mustard
6-8 oz. sliced ham
4 oz. sliced Swiss cheese
1 large bunch fresh spinach, rinsed and steamed a few minutes to wilt, drained well.
Set aside 1 cup of the flour. Combine remaining flour with the other dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in water and oil and gradually stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Roll dough into a rectangle about 16 x 8. Spread mustard down center middle of dough. Top with meat slices, cheese and spinach. Cut one-inch wide strips of dough from filling to edge on both sides. It will sort of look like fringe. Alternating sides, fold strips up and over the filling at an angle. Carefully lift loaf onto greased baking sheet and place at an angle. Cover with a towel and place sheet on top of a roasting pan half-filled with simmering water for 15 minutes. Bake in a preheated 400-degree for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly before slicing. Serve warm and refrigerate leftovers.
Note: The variations for this bread are almost endless. Some favorite combinations are Corned beef and Swiss with sauerkraut and thousand island dressing., roast beef and cheddar, chicken, broccoli and cheese, Spinach with ricotta or feta and onions, pizza, assorted fillings. You get the idea. Use your imagination and have fun. Just be careful not to overfill, or the bread will be hard to move, use fillings that aren’t too runny and always use cold fillings.
If you want to use regular yeast use warm, rather than hot water. Also, don’t let dough rise over boiling water. After kneading cover dough and let rise 45 minutes. Punch down and assemble as in original recipe. Cover with a towel and let rise until dough looks puffy, about 40 minutes. Bake as directed above. These breads can also be frozen.
Ham and Corn Chowder
I was looking for a quick soup for dinner the other night. Inspiration hit when I came across some corn in the freezer. I had blanched and frozen it during the summer at the peak of corn season. I had a little ham in the fridge I was wanting to use up and the pairing was a natural. I started by sauteing an onion in a little butter. Once the onion was tender I added a peeled and diced potato, the corn, the diced ham and about 2 or 3 cups of chicken stock. I covered the soup and let it simmer until the potato was tender, about 15 minutes. I then took 4 tablespoons of flour and put it in a jar. I added a cup of milk, put on the lid and shook it until the flour was well mixed in. I poured the flour mixture into the pot and brought the mixture up to a gentle boil. I stirred it as it thickened up. I cooked it for a few minutes and adjusted the seasonings adding salt, fresh ground pepper and a dash of hot sauce. I also added some chopped parsley. The end result was a wonderful chowder that took almost no time at all. Sometimes the best dishes come from just looking at what we already have. In this case some frozen veggies and a bit of leftover ham.
Ham and Veggie Stir Fry
2 T. oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced thinly
1 c. sliced cabbage
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
1 sweet red pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
2 c. sliced bok choy
1 1/2 c. cubed cooked ham
2 green onions, trimmed and sliced
1/2 c. whole almonds
fresh grated ginger- or powdered, to taste
soy sauce to taste
dash of hot sauce
Heat oil in wok or skillet and cook onion and carrots for 3 minutes. Add cabbage add garlic and stir fry 2-3 minutes longer. Toss in the pepper and bok choy and cook 3 more minutes. Add ham, green onions and almonds along with seasonings and soy sauce and cook until ham is heated through. Serve over hot cooked rice or pasta. Serves 3-4.
Ham with Brussels Sprouts
I started by trimming the Brussels sprouts and cutting small ones in half. I quartered the larger ones. I heated a little butter in a skillet and added 3 cups of prepared Brussels sprouts. I cooked them until they were getting a little color on them. I think their flavor is enhanced by sauteing. I then added 1 1/2 cups of diced cooked ham and 1/2 cup of water. The water helps steam the sprouts so they are tender. I like Brussels sprouts tender. You can skip the water, if you like. The water evaporates quickly and as soon as the ham starts to brown a little the dish was pretty much done. I added a little freshly ground pepper- but it didn’t need salt. I also served it with fresh grated Romano cheese. You could serve it as is or toss in some cooked pasta with the ham. Simple and really good. You might even get a Brussels sprout hater to give this one a try.
Swedish Yellow Split Pea Soup
1 lb. yellow split peas, rinsed
2 qts. Boiling water or stock
1 bay leaf
2 c. chopped onion
2 c. sliced carrots
1 tsp. dried marjoram
1/4 t. ginger
dash nutmeg
1/2 t. pepper
1 T. salt, or to taste
2 cups diced ham
Note: you can use 1 teaspoon liquid smoke if omitting meat.
Combine peas, boiling water or stock and bay leaf and simmer, covered, about an hour, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf. Add remaining ingredients, except diced meat and salt, and cook, covered, over low heat for about 30 minutes. Add meat and cook 1 hour more, stirring occasionally. Season to taste. Serve with a pumpernickel bread. Freezes well. Serves 6-8.
Ham and Cheese Strata
12 slices bread, crusts removed if desired – I used rye
6 slices cheese – I used Swiss
1/4 c. diced green onions
1/2 c. chopped sweet pepper
2 c. diced cooked ham or turkey ham
3 eggs
2 c. milk
1 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
Place six slices of bread on bottom of 2-quart oblong casserole. Top each slice of bread with a slice of cheese. Top cheese with the onions, peppers and ham. Top with remaining bread and cut each “sandwich” in half diagonally. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over sandwiches. Cover dish and let stand several hours or overnight in the fridge. Bake uncovered in a 350-degree oven for 40-45 minutes, or until puffed and set. Serves 6.
Ham and Swiss Quiche
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust
1½ c. shredded Swiss or Gruyere Cheese
4 t. flour
1 c. diced cooked ham or turkey ham
3 eggs
1 c. milk or half-half or evaporated milk
2 T. fresh chopped parsley or 2 teaspoons dried
¼ t. salt
¼ t. dry mustard
Dash of hot sauce
Toss cheese with flour in a bowl and place in pie crust. Sprinkle the ham over the cheese and set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl beating well to combine. Pour over the ham and cheese mixture and bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 15 minutes. Turn down heat to 350-degrees and bake until knife inserted off-center comes out clean, about 30 minutes more. Makes 1
Note: This quiche freezes well. After adding the fillings just wrap in heavy foil and freeze solid until ready to bake. When ready to bake unwrap and allow to sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes. Bake as with the fresh version, but add another 10-15 minutes to the baking time. If you don’t want to freeze the pie pan, you can line the pie pan with foil before you add the crust. Once it is frozen you can remove the frozen quiche from the pie pan and wrap, returning to freezer. When ready to use unwrap and put the quiche back in the pie pan before baking.
You can also use a foil pie pan.
Homemade Crescent Rolls
Homemade Crescent Rolls
I love making these crescent rolls for special dinners. Rich and buttery, they always make a nice addition to a holiday table.
While these might look like croissants, they are different. I have made traditional croissants. Yeast dough rolled out- then topped with a sheet of butter. Rolled, folded, chilled. Repeated many times to create those wonderful, flaky layers.
These rolls have a lot of the same qualities, but in a less time-consuming method. Not quite the same texture as true croissants, but very tender and flaky.
The secret is butter cut into flour- the same way you incorporate fat into biscuits or pie crust. Then a yeast/milk mixture is stirred in and a batter is created. It is chilled overnight and when rolled out, the dough is brushed with more butter and shaped into the crescent shape of traditional croissants. Really easy, compared to the original, and a pretty good roll, too. Since the recipe makes a lot, I often freeze some for later. Directions for freezing are at the bottom of the recipe.
Homemade Crescent Rolls
1 package active dry yeast
1 c. very warm water
¾ c. evaporated milk
1 t. salt
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg
5 c. flour
4 T. melted butter, cooled
1 c. firm butter
Additional melted butter for brushing
1 egg beaten with 1 T. water
Dissolve yeast in water. Stir in milk, salt, sugar, egg and one cup of flour. Beat into a smooth batter and stir in melted butter. Set aside. With pastry blender cut firm butter into remaining flour until particles are the size of small peas. Stir in milk mixture gently, until all flour in moistened. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead a few strokes. Divide into fourths and roll each into a circle. Divide circle into 8 pieces and brush with melted butter. Starting at wide end roll up loosely and place on greased baking sheet with point tucked under. Allow 2-3 inched between rolls and curve slightly into an arc, if desired. Cover with a towel and allow to rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours or until nearly doubled. Brush with egg wash just before baking. Bake in a 325-degree oven for 35 minutes or until golden. Brush again with butter. Makes 32.
These are great served as is, or drizzled with a little powdered sugar glaze.
Note: You can add up to 2 cups of whole wheat flour in place of 2 cups of the white flour for whole wheat croissants. You can also brush the dough with fruit preserves instead of butter before rolling up, or you can sprinkle with chopped chocolate or cinnamon sugar and roll up.
Freezing directions: just roll them up and place on a baking sheet. Place in freezer until solid. Remove to a freezer bag or container and return to freezer. To use, place frozen rolls on a greased baking sheet and cover. allow to thaw and rise until doubled in size and proceed at with the baking directions. I just do this the night before and bake them in the morning.
Classic Babka
Classic Babka
What can I say? I am in a nostalgic mood this week. I have been working on my Easter menu and all sorts of favorite foods are being prepared. Babka is one of them.
Babka is a different bread from most others that I make. For starters, the recipe makes 6 loaves of bread at once. Great for gift giving in those quantities. Babka also uses much less flour than most of my bread recipes. Only 8 cups of flour for the 6 loaves. I can use close to 8 cups of flour for 2 loaves of other breads.
The babka dough is really a batter- so sticky you have to oil up your hands to divide the dough into the bread pans. This very tiny amount of dough rises to fill 9×5-inch bread pans. The result is a bread that is very light with a crunchy exterior and tender interior.
I can’t remember where I got this recipe. I still have the original handwritten recipe, but it isn’t handwriting I recognize. I made it for a baking class the other night and people seemed to really like it. I hope you do, too.
Babka
3 packets active dry yeast
1 c. warm water
1 c. sugar
8 c. bread flour
1 t. salt
5 large eggs
1 stick butter
2 T. oil
Grated rinds of an orange and a lemon
2 c. warm milk
1 c. raisins
1 egg mixed with 2-t. milk
In bowl combine yeast, water, sugar, 1 c. flour, and salt. Allow to stand 10 minutes. Beat in eggs, butter, oil and grated rinds. Add remaining flour alternately with milk, beating a total of five minutes. Stir in raisins. Dust a large bowl with flour and put in dough. Cover and allow to rise until doubled, about 2 hours. Generously grease loaf pans. This recipe will fill 6 standard loaf pans – 9×5 – inch. Lightly oil hands and divide dough into portions, smoothing tops as you place dough in pans. Cover and allow dough to rise until more than doubled, about 1 hour. Brush loaves with egg and milk mixture. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours or until bread is well browned and sounds hollow inside when tapped. Mine is normally done at about an hour and 15 minutes. Cool a few minutes in pans before removing to racks to cool. Babka in great eaten warm from the oven.
Babka dough rising
Fresh from the oven
Easter Wreath Bread
Easter Bread Wreath
This Easter bread wreath, with eggs baked on top, is a favorite of mine. I hadn’t made one in a long time, and when I went to find my recipe, I couldn’t locate it. So I decided to make a new recipe. I wanted it to have a lot of flavor- something that would be fun served at a breakfast or brunch, but not too sweet. I added spices and raisins, but I could see using other dried fruits. I left it plain on top – but you could easily add a powdered sugar glaze. No, I did not hard cook the eggs first. They cook while the bread is baking. Saves a step, for sure. I tested the bread out with friends last night. Almost half was eaten before dinner, so I am confident to say, that this recipe is a winner. The texture of the bread is really nice and the dough is richly spiced. I added mace, but if you don’t have any mace, add a little more nutmeg or allspice. Mace is a spice I would encourage you to try sometime. So here is the recipe. Hope you like it as much as we did.
Cinnamon Raisin Easter Wreath Bread
4½ -5 c. flour
1 pkt. yeast
½ c. brown sugar
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
½ t. allspice
½ t. nutmeg
½ t. mace
1 c. warm water
½ c. butter, melted
2 eggs
½ c. raisins
5-6 uncooked eggs, dyed if you like
Combine 2 cups flour, yeast, sugar, seasonings and salt in large bowl. Heat together water and butter until warm and add to flour mixture. Beat 2-3 minutes. Beat eggs and reserve 1 tablespoon of the eggs for brushing the top of the bread later. Add remaining eggs and another cup of flour to the bowl. Beat 4 minutes. Add the raisins and enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, but still soft. Place in oiled bowl turning to oil top. Note: I actually used my stand mixer, and just left the dough in the bowl to knead, and then covered it to rise. I was able to leave the dough a little sticky this way, using less flour. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. While dough is rising, prepare a pan. Grease a large baking sheet- or use a silicone baking mat. Grease a one cup oven-proof custard cup and place it upside down on the middle of the baking sheet. This will keep a “hole” in the middle of your wreath. If you don’t have a custard cup, you can use a metal one-cup measure instead. Punch dough down and divide in three pieces. Roll each piece into a 20-inch long rope. Braid the ropes together. Wrap the braid around the custard cup on the baking sheet and pinch ends together to keep the braid from coming apart. Cover and allow to rise until doubled (50-60 minutes). Just before baking, combine reserved egg with a little water and brush the wreath with the egg wash. Place 5 or 6 eggs on the top of the braid- being careful not to press down too hard. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 25 minutes. Cover bread with foil and bake 10-15 minutes longer, or until bread sounds hollow when tapped lightly. Here is the only tricky part. You have to remove the wreath, but not drop the glass custard cup in the middle. You can let the bread cool a few minutes before moving. I use a silicone baking sheet so I slide the whole thing off the baking sheet and onto a cooling rack. I use two large spatulas to lift the wreath up and leave the custard cup behind. If it doesn’t come right out, use a knife to loosen. Just lift the wreath up enough to slide the custard cup out. Let cool before serving- store leftovers in fridge – because of the eggs on top. Makes 1.
Ready for the oven
Place eggs on top before baking
Fresh Spring Salad
Spring Salad
I learned at an early age to appreciate a good salad. My mother really knew how to make a salad. Her prepping a tossed salad was a ritual I observed often as a kid.
My mother was a big believer in a tossed salad. She wasn’t fond of salad where the dressing was just poured over the top.
She also was a firm believer that most people over dressed their greens. She said when you tossed a salad properly, there should not be a puddle of dressing in the bottom of the bowl. She was right.
Mom also liked to serve salad on its own, not with the rest of the meal. She said that way you really enjoyed your salad. We always ate salad before the rest of the meal. I still prefer to do that.
When I was making this salad for dinner the other night, it made me remember the first time I bought her a one pound box of Spring greens. She was not a fan of iceberg lettuce and used assorted greens in her salads, along with other veggies. I knew she would love the mix of greens.
The problem was, as she told me later, that she couldn’t empty the box. She said every time she grabbed a handful of greens out to make a salad, the rest would just expand. She said she had made several salads and the box didn’t appear any emptier.
So here is the salad I made the other night. Just the perfect starter for any Spring dinner.
Spring Salad
4 c. Spring mix greens
6 asparagus spears
4 oz. sugar snap pea pods
1 carrot- shredded finely
3 broccoli stems, shredded finely
1/2 c. diced sweet onion
fresh parsley, chopped
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt and fresh ground pepper
4 oz. feta cheese crumbles
Wash and spin dry the greens and place in salad bowl. Trim tough ends off asparagus and steam 4 minutes. Place in cold water to stop cooking and cut into 1-inch pieces. Add to greens. Add remaining vegetables to salad bowl. Drizzle with oil- not too much- and then toss. Add salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Toss again. Serve in individual bowls and add cheese to taste. Serves 3-4.
Crab Cakes
Crab Cake
I was lucky enough to get a great price on lump crab meat. A local store had cans on sale for about half the normal price. I have been dreaming about crab cakes, so it seemed like the perfect time to make some.
The secret to crab cakes it adding just enough ingredients to hold the crab meat together, without losing the beautiful texture of the crab in the process. These crab cakes did all that. I also have fresh chives in the garden, so I used them in my crab cakes. They added such nice flavor to them.
I also used a little sour cream to help hold them together and to add moisture. I know many who prefer mayo as a binder. Either works, I just like sour cream.
I have pan fried them in the past, but decided to bake these in the oven. Either method works. It just comes down to what you prefer.
We had them with fresh asparagus and a green salad. It was a truly special meal
.
Crab Cakes
2 eggs
2 T. sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 t. thyme
1 t. lemon juice
½ t. cayenne pepper
½ t. dry mustard
Salt to taste
¼ c. fresh chopped parsley
¼ c. fresh chopped green onions or chives
About ½ c. breadcrumbs
1 lb. lump crab meat
Olive oil
Mix all the ingredients together, except oil. Start with about ¼ cup of the breadcrumbs and add just enough to hold the mixture together. Mixture will be crumbly. Form into patties- you can make 4 large or 8 small.
You can cook them one of two ways.
To bake: Place the crab cakes on a lightly oiled baking sheet and brush the cakes with a little more oil. Bake in a preheated 450- degree oven for 15 – 18 minutes, for small cakes. Bake 20-24 minutes for large cakes. Turn them once during baking to brown both sides.
To pan fry: Heat skillet to medium hot. Add oil and gently add the cakes. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Turn once, carefully, to brown on both sides.
Beer Battered Fish Tacos
Catfish Tacos
I had a request from a dear friend to make fish tacos. I’ve made them before with several different fish, but I prefer catfish. I just think the texture works well with the batter. Any mild fish you like, would work fine.
This batch was my favorite, so far. I used Corona beer in the batter with some eggs, flour and lime zest. The toppers were a sauce made with mayo, enhanced with chili powder, capers and cumin – recipe follows.
I also made a mango salsa to use on the tacos- with onions, garlic and cilantro- recipe follows. The flavors all worked so well together. I am always tweaking recipes, but this one- for now- will remain unchanged. This time of year, there are fish fries every Friday. I’ve gone to several and had great meals. I would opt to stay in for these tacos.
Fish Tacos
Batter:
3 eggs, beaten
6 oz. Corona beer- drink the rest- you deserve it
1 c. flour
zest of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste
a couple of dashes of hot sauce
Combine all the batter ingredients and beat together until smooth. Let sit at least 30 minutes before using.
2 lbs. catfish, cut into 2 oz. pieces
extra flour for dredging
oil for deep frying
Heat oil in pan to 375 degrees. While oil is heating up, dry fish off as much as you can. Season with salt and pepper and toss the fish in the extra flour to coat lightly. Dip fish in the batter, and fry, a few pieces at a time until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and continue cooking until all the fish is done. To serve place a piece or two of fish in a taco shell and top with mango salsa and dipping sauce. You can also add some shredded lettuce, if you like.
Mango Salsa
1 large mango, peeled, pitted and diced
1/2 c. diced sweet onion, or a little more
3 T. oil
2 T. cider vinegar
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 t. cumin
1/4 t. cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste
hot sauce to taste Combine all ingredients. Cover and chill until ready to use.
Dipping Sauce
I must admit to using tartar sauce as my inspiration for this sauce. I wanted the same sort of sauce, but with Mexican flavors. The combo worked really well on the fish tacos.
1 c. mayo
1 T. chili powder
juice of 1 lime
2 t. cumin
1 clove minced garlic
1 T. capers, drained
salt and pepper to taste
hot sauce to taste
Combine all ingredients and chill until ready to use.
Homemade Pineapple Sorbet
Pineapple Sorbet
Sorbet can be the perfect ending for almost any meal. I was making dinner for a couple of friends and wanted something light for dessert. I had this pineapple and knew right away I wanted to make a sorbet.
You can use pretty much any fruit to make sorbet. Pineapple is one of my favorites. The ingredients are fruit and sweetener. After that, extras like fruit juices, extracts, herbs and spices are up to you. Keep it simple, or spice it up, to suit your mood. I often add fresh herbs to my sorbet. Mint is the obvious choice, but I have also added basil, lavender and pineapple sage.
Keep in mind that once frozen, the mixture will taste less sweet. Sweeten to taste, but allow for that change in flavor. If it isn’t sweet enough for you once it is frozen, you can add a little honey when processing it. You can also serve it topped with a fruit syrup for extra sweetness, if desired.
Pineapple Sorbet
1 pineapple
½ c. sugar- or a little more to suit your taste
1 T. lemon juice
Wash pineapple, remove rind and core. Chunk up the flesh of the pineapple and puree in a food processor until smooth. Place pineapple puree in a bowl and sweeten to taste. I had a really ripe, sweet pineapple, so I used about ½ cup of sugar. You might want more, or less, according to your own taste. Once frozen, the sorbet will taste less sweet- so make sure to sweeten it enough. You can also sweeten with honey. Stir in the lemon juice, too. Place in a container with a lid and place in freezer.
Once the mixture is frozen- remove from the freezer, let soften a little bit- just a few minutes. Use a spoon or fork to break off chunks of the sorbet. Place in a food processor and puree until smooth. Mixture should start to look creamy. I have had the most success using a smaller processor and doing this in batches, but do what works for you. Return to freezer until ready to serve.
Note: You can repeat the process of processing another time or two. Each time the frozen sorbet is reprocessed, it will get a little smoother. I only processed this pineapple sorbet one time- after it was frozen. The texture was delightful and my guests loved it.
Yield: You should get about a quart of sorbet.
Easter Egg Biscotti
Easter Egg Biscotti
We made these in an Easter Baking class last night. Everyone enjoyed them. I get so many requests for this recipe, I decided to post it again. This is a treat from my childhood. Rose Dieglio was the mother of my best friend, Debbi. Rose made these every year, and I loved them. Years later, she was kind enough to share her recipe with me. I always make a bunch to hand out to friends and family. It is a tradition I enjoy very much.
The dough is a type of cookie. You roll the dough out in pieces about the size of eggs. Make an intent in the dough and press in a tinted egg. The egg does not have to be cooked- it will cook when the biscotti bakes. Once baked, the biscotti can be topped with a powdered sugar glaze and sprinkles, if you like.
Easter Egg Biscotti
1 c. shortening or butter- I use butter*
1 ½ c. sugar
4 eggs
5 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 t. vanilla
1 c. milk
6 c. flour
24-30 eggs, plain or dyed
Powdered sugar glaze
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter or shortening and sugar. Beat in eggs. Add next 4 ingredients and blend until smooth. Stir in flour 2 cups at a time. Dough should be pliable. If dough is too sticky add a little more flour. Take a piece of dough about the size of a large egg and place on a greased baking sheet. Indent middle slightly and then place an egg in the center, pressing down slightly. It should look like a nest. Continue with remaining dough allowing about 2-3 inches in between as they spread when baking. You can fit 6-8 on a large baking sheet. Bake 20 –25 minutes or until browned on the bottom. Cool on wire rack before drizzling with frosting. Makes 24-30. Store in fridge.
* If using butter- chill dough a couple of hours before baking.
Sugar glaze
2 c. powdered sugar
2-3 T. milk or orange juice
1 t. vanilla
Food coloring, if desired
Mix together until smooth and of drizzling consistency.
Easter Cupcakes
Trio of Easter Cupcakes
These cupcakes would make a great dessert for Easter- or any spring time party. They are also a fun dessert for kids to make.
I started out by making a double batch of my classic white cupcakes- recipe follows. I also made a double batch of white chocolate frosting. To add a little color to the cupcakes, I divided the batter into three bowls and tinted each of them a different pastel color. As I filled the pans, I just added a spoonful of each of the tinted batters in them. They came out really nice. I made three different cupcakes: bunnies, chicks and nests. Details on how to make each of them are listed below.
Classic White (Vanilla) Cupcakes
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cupcakes are done when they springs back to the touch. Makes 12.
White Chocolate Frosting
6 oz. white chocolate – if using bars, chop before melting
1 stick (4 oz.) cold butter, cut into cubes
1-2 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
Melt chocolate. I just melt mine in a microwave safe dish, but you can use a double boiler. Let chocolate cool down a little. Beat butter into the melted chocolate. Beat until smooth and then beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Whip until frosting is smooth and fluffy. I normally beat for 5 minutes or longer. If too thick, add a few drops of water or milk. For this recipe, I made a double batch of frosting.
Bunnies
extra white chocolate
food coloring- pink or red
chocolate chips
pastel ( pink) M&M’s
Make bunny ears by melting some white chocolate and putting it in a piping bag or bottle. On wax paper, make outline of the ears in white chocolate and allow to cool/harden. Place a drop or two of pink or red food coloring in a microwave safe bowl and add some white chocolate. Melt in microwave, being careful not to burn the chocolate and stir until it turns pink. Pipe the pink chocolate into the middle of the ears. Allow to harden before peeling off of the was paper. Using a star tip, pipe frosting on cupcake. I made three layers – to add height to the cupcake. place ears on cupcake and add chips/candy for eyes and mouth.
Chicks
Frosting tinted yellow and green
mini chocolate chips
fruit roll up
Using star tip, pipe the chick’s body onto the cupcake in yellow frosting. Pipe on head and wings. Pipe green frosting around chick to form a nest. Use mini chips for eyes and cut fruit roll up for beak.
Nests
Frosting tinted green
egg shapes malted milk balls- or you could use jelly beans
Pipe green frosting on cupcakes to make nests. Add three, or more, candies in the middle for eggs.
Piping pink filling in ears
rainbow cupcake
bunnies
Chick cupcake
The nest cupcake
