The Charmed Kitchen

Ham and Swiss Calzone

If you had a ham for Christmas and find yourself with leftovers here are some recipes you might like. Ham is so 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.

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.

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.

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.

Noel

Merry Christmas to all. I have a special friend staying with me this holiday season. She is a Rottweiler mix, that I have named Noel. Seemed like a suitable name for this time of year.  I am only fostering her. Noel will need a permanent home at some time. There has  already been some interest. I would love, besides it being a wonderful home, for someone I know to adopt her.  I will put the adoption form at the bottom of my post- so if you are interested…….

She is housebroken and has pretty good house manners. She has long legs, so her nose easily reaches table tops. She sniffs, but has not taken anything off any table or counter. She really does want to crawl up in your lap. I know I should not allow it- but I am spineless and she is so cute. I will admit discipline is not my forte.

She was severely underweight when found on the street in Lorain. While she weighs 51 pounds now, I fully expect her to reach 75-80 pounds, once she fills out. Maybe a little bigger, even. The vet said she is about a year old. She has been spayed and is in good health, otherwise.

Noel staying here has really made me miss my Mom. She had a special gift with animals. My mother always wanted dogs that had to be rescued. She said a dog that is saved, never forgets what you did for them.

She never used crates or raised her voice. She would just gently explain to the dog what they did wrong. She could leave a bowl of dry cat food on the floor and the dogs would leave it alone. Why? She said because she told them it wasn’t their food.

I wish she were coming over today to spoil Noel. She would stroke her gently, speak to her softly, and feed her whatever she wanted. Noel is being well tended and will have a lovely day, but it saddens me to know she won’t ever be able to know the unconditional love of “Grandma Irene”.

Well, enough of sad thoughts. Many things to be happy about. Good friends and family. A dog that is now safe. Unseasonably warm weather makes it easier to take the dog on walks.

Hope your day is happy.

Here is the adoption form.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1EsRkeCwREBRAHwylIKLjj9Ht3mcmT-78o84gKO_qbr4/viewform

In a perfect world, every home would have a dog and every dog would have a home.

Lemon Meltaway Cookies

These cookies have a great lemon flavor and delicate texture. They are also easy to make. They are a slice and bake cookie. That means you make the dough, form into a roll, and chill. Now you can just slice and bake when you have the time. I sometimes make a batch and freeze them- so I can make fresh cookies whenever I like.

Lemon Meltaways

Dough:
1 ¼ c. flour
¾ c. butter, softened
½ c. cornstarch
1/3 c. powdered sugar
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. grated lemon peel
Frosting:
¾ c. powdered sugar
¼ c. butter, softened
1 t. lemon juice
1 t. grated lemon peel

In large bowl combine all dough ingredients and mix well. Divide dough in half and roll each half into an 8- inch roll. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm, 1-2 hours. Slice chilled dough into ¼ inch slices and place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8-12 minutes, or until cookies are set, but not brown. Cool completely on a rack. Combine frosting ingredients and beat until light and fluffy. Frost cooled cookies. Makes 4 dozen.

Almond Cookies

I do love these cookies. They are delicate and cake- like and the perfect finish for almost any meal. I always make them as part of my holiday cookie baking. The whole almonds  toast nicely as the cookies bake. I also like that they are easy to make. If you haven’t tried them before you might want to. I think you’ll like them as much as I do.

 Almond Cookies

¾ c. sugar
¾ c. softened butter
1 egg
2 T. water
1 t. baking powder
1 t. almond extract
¼ t. salt
2 ½ c. flour
whole almonds, about 1/3 c.

Combine all ingredients except flour and nuts and beat until smooth. Stir in flour. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place 2” apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Dip bottom of buttered glass in sugar and use it to flatten cookies a little. Press an almond into the center of each. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 8-12 minutes. Cookies should be firm to the touch, but not brown. Makes 3-4 dozen.

Kat’s Cherry Chocolate Chip Shortbread

These cookies were inspired by my friend, Kat. We had been talking about the cookies I was making for Christmas. She wanted to know if I made a cherry chocolate chip cookie. I do, but it turned out, not the kind of cookie Kat was thinking about. I had been thinking of my traditional chocolate chip cookie, with dried cherries added to the dough. Kat was thinking of a shortbread type cookie. Perhaps made with maraschino cherries, and the cookie had to be flat. She was pretty specific. The cookie itself was pink. I told her I could figure something out. I used canned tart cherries, rather than maraschino cherries. I had them already and I like them a lot. I measured as I went along, and baked some at different temps and times until I came out with the right formula. They are a pretty pale pink color, but you could add a few drops of food coloring, if you want a pinker cookie. In the end, the cookies came out the way I had hoped. I would most definitely make them again. Here is the recipe. Thanks, Kat, for the inspiration.

Kat’s Cherry Chocolate Chip Shortbread

1 c. butter, softened
1½ c. sugar
1 can (15 oz.) tart cherries (packed in water) drained well
½ c. cornstarch
3 c. flour
12 oz. dark chocolate chips
Extra sugar for tops of cookies

Cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in cherries. Add cornstarch and flour and mix until smooth. Stir in chips. Dough will be a little sticky. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Use a cookie scoop to make 1-inch balls of dough. Did I mention the dough is sticky? Think of them as 1-inch blobs of dough, rather than balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Use a glass with the bottom dipped in sugar to flatten the cookies. They don’t spread. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden on the bottom. Let cool on baking sheet a couple of minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Makes about 7-8 dozen cookies.
Note: The color on these cookies is a pretty pale shade of pink. If you like, you can add a few drops of pink or red food coloring.

These are the cherries I used

I had a great time on New Day Cleveland the other day. Thanks to David Moss and the rest of the crew for making me feel so welcome. Here is the clip from my appearance.

http://fox8.com/2015/12/17/how-to-make-homemade-liqueurs-2/

Vanilla Shortbread with Coffee/Cinnamon Filling

Certain cookies bring back special memories for me. More so around the holidays. Most memories are of making cookies with my mom. This cookie though, is one I used to make with my friend, Kim. She really loved coffee and the coffee-cinnamon filling made these one of her favorites. The cookies are tender, and not too sweet. The filling, which sandwiches them together, is what makes them special. Use a cookie press to make any shape you like for these cookies. Once baked, two halves are put together in little sandwich cookies. These are a big hit, whenever I make them.

Vanilla Shortbread with Coffee/Cinnamon Filling

1 c. butter
½ c. powdered sugar
½ t. vanilla
2 c. flour
¼ t. baking powder

Heat oven to 375-degrees. Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla. Blend in flour and baking powder. Using flower design of cookie press to make 1- inch cookies on ungreased baking sheet. Bake about 7 minutes, or until very lightly browned. Cool and then put two cookies together with coffee filling.
Note: You can make these cookies in almost any cookie press design that is symmetrical. I have made strips, trees and stars among others. Makes about 2 dozen double cookies.

Coffee/Cinnamon Filling

2/3 c. powdered sugar
2 T. butter, softened
1 t. instant coffee dissolved in 1 t. boiling water
1 t. cinnamon
Beat all ingredients together until smooth. Add a few drops of water if too dry.

Chocolate “Brownie” Cookies

These delightful cookies are soft and cake-like. The texture reminds me of a brownie. They are soft, with just a little crunch on the outside. I like to finish them with a drizzle of white or dark chocolate. Simple to make, I always make a double batch, as they go quickly.

Chocolate “Brownie” Cookies

1 c. butter, softened
1 ¼ c. sugar
2 eggs
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
½ t. vanilla
2 2/3 c. flour
2 t. cream of tartar
1 t. baking soda
½ t. salt
¼ c. sugar

Chocolate for drizzling, optional

Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, chocolate and vanilla. Stir in next four ingredients. Chill dough. Shape dough into 1” balls and roll in ¼ cup sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 375- degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Once cooled, drizzle with melted chocolate, if you like. Makes 5-6 dozen.