Homemade Mini Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets (but better!)

When there is a big holiday feast, like at Thanksgiving and Easter, you are always surrounded by LOTS of leftovers. And leftovers are great...for a while.

And then before you know it...you're sick and TIRED of leftovers and everything goes bad in your fridge and you have to throw everything away.

Not cool. Not economical. Not in my house.

So, I will TOTALLY be making my Ham and Potato Casserole to help unload some of the ham I have left from Easter, but I needed something quick and easy for Wednesday night (which is always a very busy night in the Jungle), so I whipped up some of these adorable little mini hot pockets and filled them with ham and cheese.

They are SUPER EASY, SUPER YUMMY, and 100% KID-FRIENDLY...meeting all the requirements for a perfect meal at my house.

I served them with baked beans and strawberries...why? Well - my kids LOVE baked beans, and we had some leftover from hamburger night last night (see me sticking with my "leftovers" theme here?), and the strawberries were on sale at Wal-Mart for .98 a box!! WOW!! But if you want better sides, I would have a veggie platter with dip, and maybe some fresh fruit salad.

This is also a great recipe to make with kids...as it is easy and fun!! And you can make them with other ingredients...imagine pizza pockets, or taco pockets!! The possibilities are ENDLESS.

This is the exact amount I served last night...so no need to double. Although you might WANT to...'cause these disappear FAST!!

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Homemade Mimi Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets

2 cans refrigerated breadsticks (like the Pillsbury kind)

Cup of shredded cheddar cheese

Cup of diced ham

Parmesan cheese

1. Heat oven to 400. Unroll each can of dough and divide into 6 portions (the breadstick dough makes 12 breadsticks...so leave every two stuck together, and press together the seams so they become one piece).

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2. Lay a portion of ham and cheese down the middle of each piece of dough, keeping away from the very edges. Then, roll up the dough, and fold and pinch the sides together to seal. It will look like a little roll. Repeat for all dough strips. Place pockets on a baking sheet and spray tops with Pam. Sprinkle tops with Parmesan cheese.

3. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
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courtesy me!!!

Easter Dinner Feast

Here are all the recipes for our Easter Dinner Feast.

It's not as grand a feast as my mother used to put on...it's missing several salads, and a roast leg of lamb, and other goodies...but it is good for OUR little family. My mom used to feed us AND lots of extended family, and I only have to feed US...

And my husband has to work on Easter...and whenever he has to work...I don't feel as festive. There have been SOME Easter's (I'm ashamed to admit) that there hasn't been a feast at all. But I know that it is unfair to my children...after all, it's not THEIR fault that daddy runs a multi-million dollar restaurant that doesn't acknowledge holidays...and THEY deserve to have the same type of Easter that I grew up knowing.

So this is our simple Easter feast. It has an appetizer, a simple green salad, asparagus side, baked ham, rolls, and a dessert. I hope you enjoy it as much as WE did!!!

Jerusalem Artichoke and Spinach Dip

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2 (10 oz.) boxes frozen chopped spinach
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 (8-ounce) jars artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
8 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese, grated
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Baguette bread slices, crackers, or tortilla chips

1. Cook spinach according to package directions; drain well and squeeze out liquid. Saute onions in butter until soft.

2. Combine cooked spinach, onion mixture, cream cheese, artichoke hearts, Monterrey Jack cheese, and garlic salt in a medium bowl; mix well. Place in a greased baking dish. bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

3. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Return to oven for about 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

4. Serve with baguette bread slices, crackers, or tortilla chips.

courtesy Essential Mormon Celebrations: Secret Combinations for Holidays, Homecomings, Potluck Dinners, and More

Ham and Orange Soda Sauce

1 fully cooked spiral-sliced ham
3 cups orange soda
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/3 teaspoon ground allspice

1. The ham is fully cooked and ready to serve. It is best served cold or at room temperature to maintain it's natural juices and tenderness. Remove packaging and and transfer ham to serving platter, let stand no more than 30 minutes to bring to room temperature.

2. Combine remaining ingredients in a large saute pan on medium-high. Cook 8-10 minutes or until mixture has reduced by about 3/4's and the sauce begins to thicken. Warm sauce can be poured over the ham, separating slices to evenly coat, or served over ham slices. Carve ham and serve. Promptly refrigerate unused portions.

courtesy Publix Apron's Simple Meals

Bacon and Caramelized-Onion Asparagus

3 slices bacon
1-1/2 lb fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
1/2 TBS water
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup ranch dressing

1. Cook bacon in nonstick skillet 3 to 5 minutes or until crisp, turning frequently. Drain bacon on paper towels. Discard drippings from skillet, but do not wash.

2. Place asparagus in pan and and steam with water. Steam until asparagus is crisp-tender. Meanwhile, add onions to skillet; cook and stir 5 minutes or until golden. Stir in dressing.

3. Drain asparagus; top with sauce and crumbled bacon.

courtesy Food & Family magazine

Little Nests

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1/4 cup butter
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup Fiber-One cereal
1 small package Whoppers Robin's Eggs

1. In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add miniature marshmallows. Stir until marshmallows are melted.

2. Remove from heat. Add cereal and stir until coated. When cool enough to handle, form into 8 little nests. Place on waxed paper or Pam-coated aluminum foil. After about 1 hour, press in center of each nest to form an indentation. Place three robin eggs in center of each nest. Place on plates, or on 3- or 4-inch doilies and use as place cards, favors, or plate accents.

courtesy Essential Mormon Celebrations: Secret Combinations for Holidays, Homecomings, Potluck Dinners, and More

Seven-Up Cake

(I was so excited to find this recipe...I haven't had this cake since I was a little girl. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!!)

1 package of lemon cake mix
1 package lemon instant pudding
3 eggs
1 can 7-up
1 cup vegetable oil

1. Mix well and bake 45-50 minutes at 350 in a greased/floured or bundt pan. Cool and frost (below).


1-1/2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
3 TBS flour
1 can crushed pineapple, undrained

1. Cook until thickened and clear. Let cool slightly and frost cake.

courtesy Something's Burning...

Ham and Potato Casserole

I have a complaint.

I love this casserole. It has less than 10 ingredients, and everybody eats it...and ham and potatoes and cheese were INVENTED to go together.

But...

To me, a casserole should take, like, 2 pots to make. Maybe a 2 pots and a bowl. And that is INCLUDING the casserole dish it's baked and served in.

This one takes too many pots.

See...there is the pot to cook the onion and celery. And the pot to make the white sauce. And the pot to boil the potatoes. And then there is the knife to dice everything and the grater for the cheese. And then there is the casserole dish.

I hate dishes.

But...

This casserole is good. It's basic. Although it takes lots of pots, it's not hard (if it was, I wouldn't post it). And it's comfort food.

Here in the jungle, we need A LOT of comfort.

It's scary, sometimes. There are strange noises, and weird crawly things, and people speak foreign languages.

So we need to be comforted.

Frequently.

And nothing does it better than...

Ham and Potato Casserole

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced onion

4 TBS butter

4 TBS flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups milk

1-1/2 cups of cheddar cheese, plus more for topping

3 pounds potatoes (use Yukon Gold and skip the peeling), diced

1. Put celery and onion in a pot and just cover with water. Boil until soft. Put potatoes in another pot and boil until just tender. Drain and set aside.

2. While onions and celery and potatoes are cooking, in another pot, make a White Sauce with butter, flour, salt, and milk.

(Wait...you don't know how to make a white sauce? Oh, okay...melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir until smooth. DO NOT BURN. Add salt. Add milk ALL AT ONCE, and stir slowly until thickened to desired consistency...for this recipe, aim for a medium thickness. Whatever you do...do not let boil.)

When white sauce is to desired consistency, add cheese, a little at a time, and stir until melted. Add more until sauce is cheesy.

3. Pour white sauce into pot with onions and celery...stir until smooth and creamy. Add more cheese if desired. Sauce should still be thick.

4. Combine potatoes and ham in casserole dish. Pour cheese sauce over everything, and mix together thoroughly. Add additional cheddar cheese as a topping if desired.

5. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10-15 minutes for sauce to thicken. CAUTION!! HOT!!

Courtesy Deborah Noel of Plainfield, Illinois

Cheesy Ham & Broccoli Bake

Ever had those nights when you had to feed five kids before 5:30pm because you had stuff to do?

And you're trying to cook, and prepare your activity that is taking up your night (in my case, Girl Scouts), and help with homework, and answer the phone, and fold the laundry all at the same time?

And four of those kids are saying (in between asking what fractions are, and fighting over whose turn it is to use the computer, and begging if they can puh-lease stop doing spelling definitions and play Wii): "I'm hungry...what's for dinner?", all while one kid is peeking over the stove at what you're making and saying in a worried, whiny kind of voice: "Uhh..I don't think I like that..."

Have you ever had one of those nights?

Have you ever had one of those nights when two of those kids are sick with the stomach flu?

That is tonight.

I spent all last night and all day today cleaning sheets, and Febreez-ing pillows, and Lysol-ing every surface in the house, on top of all the things I normally do during the day.

I'm tired.

I'm cranky.

And I have to go to Girl Scouts and play with 8 hyper-active 3rd grade girls.

Welcome to my life.

And since you're here...why don't you stay for dinner?

Cheesy Ham & Broccoli Bake

1-2/3 cups hot water

1 pkg. Stove Top Cornbread Stuffing Mix

3 cups chopped ham

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen broccoli florets, thawed, drained

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

3/4 cup Cheez Whiz

- Heat oven to 375 F. Add water to stuffing mix; stir until just moistened. Set aside.

- Combine ham and broccoli in 2 qt. casserole. Mix soup and Cheez Whiz; pour over ham mixture. Top with stuffing

-Bake 30 minutes or until heated through.

(Note: I bake it closer to 45 minutes...but I watch so the top gets crunchy but not burned)

courtesy Kraft foods