School-days ham earns hearty thank-you, ma’am

Here are some back-to-school meals moms and kids will love.

Family Features

It’s time again for the back-to-school rush! With the kids needing rides here and there, deadlines at work, and the never-ending list of chores, it can be hard to find the time to put together a delicious family meal and stay in budget.

Cook’s Ham asked one busy mom of a family of four to see what recipes she could come up with using a Cook’s Spiral Sliced Quartered Ham while sticking to her budget. She was able to portion her ham into three family-friendly meals. Try her recipes and then take the challenge yourself to see if you can come up with your own delicious recipes while saving some much needed money.

Breakfast: With kids constantly on the go, this is the perfect morning meal.

Bus Stop Breakfast Pita

4 whole wheat pita bread

4 slices Cook’s Spiral Sliced Quartered Ham

4 slices provolone cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1 thinly sliced granny smith apple

Apricot preserves (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay a slice of ham, cheese and thinly sliced apple inside each pita. Wrap each pita in aluminum foil. Warm in oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cool as needed and enjoy.

Lunch Box: Instead of packing your child’s lunch box with the average sandwich, why not surprise them with these delightful treats?

Hammy Pizza Bites

171‚Ñ2 ounce package biscuit dough

1‚Ñ4 cup pizza sauce

3 slices Cook’s Spiral Sliced Quartered Ham, diced

2‚Ñ3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

To prepare, spray cookie sheet with nonstick spray. Separate biscuits and flatten on cookie sheet. Spread 1 teaspoon pizza sauce on each biscuit. Top each biscuit with 1 tablespoon diced ham and 1 tablespoon shredded cheese. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Pack in foil for a warm lunch box meal.

Quick Sit-Down Dinner: As the days get shorter and cooler, nothing satisfies like pasta. Try this delicious choice.

Ham Linguine

2 cups Cook’s Spiral Sliced Quartered Ham, shredded

1 pound linguine

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons capers

1 cup peas, fresh or frozen, thawed

Zest and juice of 2 lemons

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup mint, chopped

1 cup basil, chopped

While pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Saut garlic. Add ham and continue to saut until ham begins to brown. Finally add capers and peas, saut for one more minute. While skillet is still hot, drain pasta and add to ham mixture. Add lemon zest, juice, salt, pepper and 2 more tablespoons of olive oil. Saut for 1-2 minutes to let flavors combine. Remove from heat and toss with herbs. Serve immediately.

For more easy recipes for family meals or entertaining, visit www.HamIdeas.com.

Source: Cook’s Ham