Very Berry Fruit Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I came across a can of cranberry sauce as I was packing up our current pantry today. The storage area in the home to which we are moving is a good deal smaller than what we currently have, so I'm being very selective about what will actually move with us. The cranberry sauce didn't make my vital's  list and because it is not an item that the food shelters look forward to at this time of year,  I  had to find a way to use it. I toyed, ever so briefly, with the idea of making a holiday-type chicken dinner before brushing that thought aside. I did, however, remember seeing a quick bread recipe in Taste of Home magazine that used cranberry sauce. I was able to find the recipe online and it looked like it would solve my problem, so I set to work. The recipe was straight forward and easy to follow and I had 2 loaves of berry bread ready to eat in a bit over an hour. We sampled the bread as soon as it was cool enough to eat. It was, as we have been known to say, sufficient to the day. This is not a loaf that will make or break your reputation as a cook. It is a nice basic quick bread, and if you happen to have a can of cranberry sauce lying around the house, you might want to give it a try or, barring that, at least keep it in mind for the Thanksgiving holiday. Here is how the bread is made.

Leftover Turkey? Try Sweet Chili Sloppy Joes Toms

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This sandwich special, made with leftover turkey, is really meant for children or adults who have an insatiable sweet tooth. While it is a great way to use some of your holiday leavings, it's probably too sweet for those of you who like your barbecue hot and on the spicy side. I found the sauce for these sandwiches in an issue of Family Circle magazine that featured sandwich fillings that could be made in a slow cooker. At the time I put these sandwiches together, I had turkey left from our early Thanksgiving celebration and I thought the sauce would be a perfect base for Sloppy Joes that were made with turkey rather than ground beef. The filling came together in minutes and lunch, which was shared with our neighbors sons, was a big hit. While these taste testers will eat anything that does not bite back, they are honest about their likes and dislikes and they liked these sandwiches. On the chance that you might be looking for new ways to use turkey leftovers,  I decided to share this very simple recipe with you. Here's how the sandwiches are made.

Sweet Chili Sloppy Chili Joes Toms...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Family Circle magazine

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup chopped sweet onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 to 4 cups chopped cooked turkey
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 to 8 soft sandwich rolls
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar or Pepper jack cheese

Directions:
Blend chili powder, sugar and cornstarch in a 3-quart saucepan. Stir in ketchup, mustard and 1 cup water. Bring mixture to a boil. Add beans, onion and garlic and stir to combine. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add chopped turkey and simmer 10 minutes longer. Add salt, adjusting as needed to taste. Spoon 1/2 cup of mixture onto a roll. Top each sandwich with 2 tablespoons shredded cheese. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Pumpkin Apple Streusel Coffee Cake

Two Years Ago Today: Kheer - Indian Rice Pudding

Three Years Ago Today: Butterscotch Pudding

Ham: Again and Again and Again - Pink Saturday

Photo Courtesy of Renee Comet

"Eternity is two people and a ham."



Glazed Ham Loaf



Scalloped Ham and Potatoes with Cheese

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Bob and I don't eat a lot of ham. There is just too much meat for us to handle, so we reserve it for an occasional company meal. I made a ham last week that, in its first iteration, fed eight adults. It also made pea soup, ham salad, scalloped ham and potatoes and a lovely glazed ham loaf. You all know how to roast and glaze a ham. I'm pretty sure you have your own version of pea soup and ham salad, so I wanted to share two other recipes that you can use to finish up the last bits of the feast. The scalloped potatoes are based on a recipe from my childhood, but the ham loaf comes from a deli near the campus of Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh. Years ago, we dropped in to try their version of Pittsburgh's infamous ham barbecue and were struck by the number of people who were picking up a ground meat mixture from the meat counter. Never shy when it comes to food, I asked what it was. The deli mix was actually an unformed ham loaf that folks took home to bake and glaze. Of course I had to try it and it turned out to be surprising nice. Now unless you are from Pittsburgh, this will not be on the list of foods you request for your final meal. I think you will, however, be pleasantly surprised by how good this loaf actually is. It and the scalloped potatoes are really easy to do and I thought you might like the recipes for them. Here's how they're made.

Glazed Ham Loaf...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Ham Loaf
1 pound ground baked ham
1 pound ground fresh pork
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs slightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Glaze
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sherry wine vinegar

Directions:
1) To make ham loaf: In a large mixing bowl, combine ground ham, ground pork, eggs, and milk in a large mixing bowl. Mix gently to incorporate ingredients. Add breadcrumbs, parsley and pepper and mix until just combined. Do not overmix. Shape mixture into loaf form and put it on a pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
2) To make glaze: Combine brown sugar, dry mustard, ground cloves, water, and vinegar in a medium saucepan. Slowly cook over low heat until sugar dissolves. Set aside.
3) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place ham loaf in oven and bake for two hours, basting with glaze every 15 minutes after first hour of cooking. Remove loaf from oven. Mix remaining glaze with pan juices and serve with ham loaf. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Scalloped Ham and Potatoes with Cheese...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 large)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1-1/4 cups milk
4 cups (about 1 pound) thinly sliced potatoes
12 ounces cubed or shredded ham
1 cup shredded cheese (I use Monterey Jack)

Directions:
1) To make sauce: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until tender. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Add cheese and stir until melted. Set aside.
2) Place half of sliced potatoes in a greased 1-1/2 quart rectangular dish. Top with ham and half of sauce. Top with remaining half of potatoes and sauce.
3) Bake, covered, in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more or until potatoes are tender. Let stand, uncovered, for 10 minutes before serving. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
How to Make Ham Stock and Recipe Ideas Using Ham Stock - Kalyn's Kitchen
Frugal Uses for Leftover Ham - Frugal Families
Ham Cheese and Paprika Muffins - Cook Sister
Doe Run Inn's Country Ham Balls - Courier Journal
Restaurant-Style Ham Fried Rice - Favorite Family Recipes
Ham and Split Pea Soup with Bacon - Food and Wine Blog

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.