House Pizza: Hawaiian

If I ask Marc what he wants for dinner, there are a couple of likely responses: 1. Spaghetti. 2. Shrimp Pineapple Curry. 3. Pizza. When Marc asks for pizza, I know he means our House Pizza: Hawaiian. You may have notice that two of the three involve pineapple. Pineapple is one of the few things on the planet that Marc is undisciplined towards; in fact, I’ve seen him eat a whole pineapple and then of course, feel terrible afterward. Hawaiian Pizza has been Marc’s favorite for as long as I can remember, most likely because of the pineapple? While I like a lot of variety when it comes to pizza toppings, it doesn’t make me sad that Marc always requests Hawaiian because it’s a favorite of mine as well. There’s something about the salty meat and the sweet pineapple that just works, particularly when paired with melted mozzarella; so leftover ham is always good news in our household. I do tend to change things up a bit from your standard Hawaiian pizza because I spice up my crust with chili flakes or jalapeño, but there’s not reason you need to if spicy isn’t your thing. Aside from being generally awesome … Continue reading

Kitchen Sink Black Bean and Ham Soup

When it comes to using up leftover Easter Ham, it doesn’t get much better, or much easier than Kitchen Sink Black Bean and Ham Soup. And I got to run down some of the odds and ends I’d stashed in my freezer. That’s not to say that this improvised cooking project didn’t require a little creativity and flexibility. In one of my previous lives, I was a high school English teacher, and I taught Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. To introduce the book, I’d always start with Robert Burns poem, To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Nest with the Plough. I often quote from his beautiful poem, (from which Of Mice and Men takes its name) when things don’t work out as I’ve expected. In my terrible Scottish accent I say, “The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men Gang aft agley.” That phrase inspired a whole category of recipes I call “Gang aft agley” and it includes Beet Gnocchi, an amazing artichoke tale you can read all about before making Artichoke and Preserved Lemon Soup and to a lesser degree, this Kitchen Sink Black Bean and Ham Soup. I started in the crockpot, but I didn’t end … Continue reading

Monte Cristo Sandwich

Need further incentive to make a ham for Easter Brunch? For me it’s all in the name of the Monte Cristo Sandwich and other Hamitarian Week recipes. Gotta love leftovers… For Hamitarian Week, I’m starting off with the Monte Cristo Sandwich, because just thinking about this sandwich inspires me to buy the giant ham in the first place. In fact, I’m famous for buying both ham and the necessary sourdough bread on the same day, so the bread will be just the right amount of stale for my Monte Cristo leftover ham sandwich. It’s possible that my eye is on the real prize from the outset, the Monte Cristo Sandwich, and everyone who has ever made french toast knows that slightly stale bread absorbs just the right amount of egg to make the french toast rich and tender. In fact, that’s how french toast came about in the first place; the whole point is to save good bread before it goes from stale to bad. And what could possibly be better than putting a breakfast sandwich on this absolutely perfect French Toast? The salty ham and turkey, the melty cheese, the slightly tangy, but custard rich bread and a thick … Continue reading

Fresh Pea Soup with or without Ham

I love split pea and ham soup. It’s possible that was inherited from my dad. And it’s his birthday today, so this is in his honor. But for good split pea soup you have to plan way ahead and cook it for days. And it’s really heavy. This is a great alternative for spring. It feels light and it’s really healthy. What a great way to eat lots of fresh greens, dad. If you have access to lots of fresh peas, they work well too, but in all honesty, the frozen ones are cheap, easy and they still provide a vibrant color. 10 ounces leeks; rough chopped 3 medium to large shallots; diced 3 ounces arugula 10 + ounces of spinach 20 ounces of frozen peas 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons salt; divided 1 teaspoon pepper 8 cups water 1 pound piece of bone in ham; diced and bone reserved OR 1 pound carrots rough chopped 1 ounce mint leaves (optional) Sauté the leeks and shallots over medium low temperature in a large stock pot until softened.  Add 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and the ham bone and cook a few minutes longer. Add arugula and spinach to the … Continue reading