Happy New Year everyone and wishing you all a very foodie 2018!
I hope you all had a festive Christmas full of plenty of food and drink. I know I did.
If you’re anything like me then you would be well and truly stuffed full of Turkey and Ham, but if you still have what feels like a tonne of ham left over, what are the best ways to use it up?
Leftovers of any meal are always some of my favourite part. Don’t just throw it away – there’s still plenty of goodness to be had and new meals to be created! So, if you’re fed up of having Ham Salad, here are five tasty recipe ideas to use up your leftover Christmas ham and make eating it a joy!
5 Recipe ideas to use up your leftover Christmas Ham
1. Ham, eggs, pineapple and roasted sweet potato
My take on gammon and eggs is really simple and makes a quick and cheap midweek dinner. Simply roast some sweet potato in the oven (I like it with onions, garlic and capsicum, sprinkled with paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic salt and black pepper), cut two nice ham steaks from your leg of ham and grill on the BBQ. When almost done, crack 2 eggs into a frying pan and place 4 pineapple rings onto the BBQ, turning over when slightly charred and serve. (Serves 2 people).
2. Stir fried rice with ham
Another quick midweek dinner idea is stir fried rice with ham. This is really quick and affordable and a one pan ish – my favourite! If you have a rice cooker (best kitchen appliance I’ve bought and use), add in your rice and cook, otherwise use a saucepan to boil some rice. Whilst the rice is on, chop up your ingredients. I like to add onion, garlic, red capsicum, green beans, mushrooms, birds eye chilli and carrot.
Fry an egg in a hot wok to create an omelette and then remove from the pan and leave aside on some paper towel to soak up before adding in your ingredients, ham and peas. Once cooked, add in the rice and omelette egg and add some soy sauce and sweet chilli sauce. Serve immediately with some fresh coriander.
3.Ham and Cheese Toastie
If you have plenty of ham and cheese left in the fridge then this calls for some ham and cheese toasties (or jaffles!). This is a great brunch, lunch or even dinner idea for those looking for something super quick that doesn’t take much brain power or preparation.
Simply toast your bread with ham, your desired cheese (mature cheddar, blue, brie), maybe some hot English mustard and toast to perfection!
4.Ham Macaroni Cheese
Whilst we have cheese on the mind, another great recipe idea is macaroni cheese with ham. For the best results, make the cheese sauce yourself, it’s really easy and tastes so much better than the packet or jar sauces.
For something slightly different, why not add in some peas and mushrooms and coat the top with breadcrumbs for extra crunch. If you’ve got a few different cheeses left, then why not grate in a variety!
5.Ham Pizza
If you’re in the mood for Italian food, then why not create your own pizzas from scratch. Make your own base (or buy a base if you want to cheat) then top with all your favourite toppings including the ham and plenty of mozzarella cheese. My favourite pizza toppings are mushrooms, pineapple, chilli, red capsicum, sweetcorn and cherry tomatoes. Ham, pepperoni, olives and artichokes are also good. Place in the oven, or in the BBQ if it has a hood!
Other recipe ideas for all year round
Of course, ham is not just for Christmas so if you find yourself stuck with a pile of leftover ham throughout the year, then why not try some of the below recipe ideas as well for more inspiration!
- Ham and cheese tortellini
- Ham pasta
- Ham and pea soup
- Ham frittata
- Ham rolls with your choice of filling
- Ham curry
- Ham and potato cakes
- Croque Monsieur
- Turkey and ham pie
- Ham and goats cheese ravioli
- Ham salad
- Ham and cheese lasagne