Loving holiday leftovers

Family Features

Once the feast is over, many home cooks are left with a plethora of leftovers and a challenge: how to make the most of what remains.

While it’s hard to live up to that original holiday meal, there’s a lot more that you can do with leftover ham rather than just reheating.

This year, give leftovers new life with a week’s worth of versatile meals that can be enjoyed through out the day.

Start with a fully-cooked, naturally hickory smoked Smithfield Spiral Sliced Ham with a pecan praline glaze, and follow these simple steps to turn it into a potato-crusted ham quiche for brunch, a Monte Cristo sand wich for lunch, and a savory soup for dinner.

You’ll leave friends and family asking for leftovers more often.

For more leftover recipes you’ll love, visit www.smithfield.com and www.facebook.com/CookingwithSmithfield.

Holiday Spiral Sliced Ham with Pecan Praline Glaze

Serves: 14

Cook Time: 10 to 12 minutes per pound

1 Smithfield Spiral Sliced Ham with Pecan Praline Glaze

Preheat oven to 325 ∞F.

Remove packaging; reserve liquid. Place ham cut-side down on large sheet of foil in roasting pan, pour reserved liquid over ham and wrap completely with foil.

Warm ham in oven for 10 to 12 minutes per pound. Do not overheat.

After removing ham from oven, let ham sit for 5 minutes before glazing.

Heat glaze packet for 15 seconds in microwave. Glaze is hot, so be careful when opening packet. Holding packet with a towel or oven mitt, cut corner off packet and pour glaze into a bowl. Stir well and spoon over ham. Let glazed ham sit for 5 minutes before serving to allow glaze to melt over ham.

Potato-Crusted Ham Quiche

Serves: 8

Cook Time: 45 minutes

2 cups of potatoes, raw and shredded

1/4 cup onion, minced

1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely diced

1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped

3 eggs, divided

Salt and pepper to taste

3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

3/4 cup smoked Gouda cheese, grated

1 cup Smithfield Spiral Ham, fully cooked and chopped

1 cup evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 ∞F.

Spray quiche pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In medium bowl mix potatoes, onion, pepper, chives, 1 beaten egg and salt and pepper to taste.

Press potato mixture evenly into crust shape up the side and on the bottom of the pan and spray again. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned on edges.

In a mixing bowl, combine cheeses. Remove crust from oven and layer the following: ham first, and then cheese mixture on top. In a bowl, beat together evaporated milk, remaining eggs, paprika, salt and pepper. Pour mix ture on top of cheese and return to oven.

Bake about 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into middle of pie comes out clean. Allow to cool at least five minutes.

Serving Suggestions: Serve alongside sliced fresh fruit or a small fresh garden salad.

Ham and Cranberry Monte Cristo

Serves: 4

Cook Time: 10 minutes

3 eggs

1/3 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon sugar

Pinch nutmeg

1/2 cup whole cranberry sauce

8 slices bread (potato bread, challah, egg bread or any other sweet soft bread)

8 slices Smithfield Spiral Ham

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup baby arugula leaves

4 tablespoons butter

Confectioners’ sugar for garnish

In shallow casserole dish, whisk eggs together with milk, vanilla, sugar and nutmeg.

Spread equal amounts of cran berry sauce on one side of four slices of bread.

Top cranberry sauce with two slices of ham, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/4 cup arugula. Top each stacked bread slice with the remaining four slices of bread. Gently press together.

In large skillet, melt butter over medium/low heat. Dip each sand wich into milk mixture. Turn and dip the other side.

Place in the hot pan and cook until each sandwich is golden brown and the cheese has melted. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve warm.

Good Luck Soup

Serves: 8

Cook Time: 80 minutes

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium yellow onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon ham base

5 dashes hot sauce

11/2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 pound black eyed peas, rinsed and soaked over night

64 ounces vegetable stock (or chicken stock)

1 cup water

2 cups Smithfield Spiral Ham roughly chopped

1/2 pound collards, cut into thin ribbons

Pepper to taste

In large stock pot add olive oil. Stir in onions, garlic, ham base, hot sauce, thyme and oregano. Saut until onions are translucent.

Add drained black eyed peas, vegetable stock, water and chopped ham. Simmer until peas are tender, approximately 40 to 50 minutes.

Add collards and simmer an additional 20 to 30 minutes. Pepper to taste. Serve hot.