Leftover ham and spinach potato pancakes

Since we don't waste food in our house I've become the leftovers queen, but the issue with leftovers is creativity. Some foods don't seem great the second time around. However, leftover mashed potatoes make a ton of tasty recipes.

Last night, I whipped up some left over potato pancakes. These are not like the common light and fluffy breakfast pancakes. They are rich, filling and super tasty.

Leftover ham and spinach potato pancake ingredients

• Boneless ham [also leftover from breakfast] diced
• 1 to 2 cups of spinach
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• 1/4 cup red peppers chopped [optional for color]
• leftover mash potatoes
• oil 

Flour coating ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• Salt 
• Pepper
• Anything you'd like to add for taste

Directions

Ugly, but yummy!

Add a teaspoon of oil to the skillet on med-low to medium heat, and sauté spinach, red peppers and garlic in to sauté just until the spinach is slightly wilted. Set the sauteed items aside in a mixing bowl with the ham, which does not need to be heated. 

Add the leftover mashed potatoes to the ingredients. Mix everything and form a round ball. 

Cooking your spinach and ham potato pancakes

Roll the potato ball in the flour coating and flatten it.  Drizzle several tablespoons of oil in the pan and heat the pancakes. It will take several minutes to heat all the way through, and to brown. Once they are brown serve them with one of your favorite dipping sauces. 

The thicker they are the longer it takes to heat through the middle, and they're more difficult to remove from the pan if they are close together. Also, opt for a thinner potato pancake. Hence the reason for my ugly potato pancakes. They were too thick and broke apart when I took them out of the pan. 

Another great addition is zucchini and onions to your potato pancakes.

Raspberry honey dip

Raspberries

This raspberry honey dip is the simplest dip you'll ever make. It's colorful, fresh tasting, and is a great compliment to meals.

Raspberry honey dip ingredients

• 1 cup raspberries
• 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup Honey [I prefer 1/4 cup]
• Coarsely chopped mint for garnish
• Salt [pinch]

In a small mixing bowl, or storage container, add both the honey, salt and raspberries. Use a fork to crush the raspberries, but do not over do it. The raspberries should still be thick, and not like jam. The more honey you use the more soupy the dip will become, as well. Garnish with fresh mint to your preference.

Mint leaves

What to use raspberry honey dip for

I use this dip for sweet potato fries instead of ranch dressing or ketchup. I prefer a thicker consistency to use it as a spread for thick, hearty bread, or a crisp flat bread, also.

It  tastes great on crackers such as Melba toast with goat cheese or Brie. These serve as perfect party hors d'oeuvres, too.

Slow cooked apple crisp

Crock pot apple crisp

The other day I purchased a five pound bag of apples from Safeway and they were awful. I peeled two for the kids, and they were completely bruised. There were two apples in the center of the bag that were beginning to rot.

Being the person that I am, I can not waist food. When I hear people complain and say things like "I'd rather starve than to eat...," it's obvious they have never gone hungry before.

Anyhow, I just can't waste food. Instead of tossing the bag I made slow cooked apple crisp. Besides peeling and slicing the apples; it's super easy.

These ingredients are based on using a 5 lb. bag of apples. This recipe also contains nuts.

Sweet potato fries

I normally don't eat sweet potatoes in the off season because I don't like them, but I had a few potatoes on hand and didn't want them to go to waste. I decided to make sweet potato fries with them.


Since I normally eat sweet potatoes baked I didn't realize how hard it is to slice them. Unlike white or golden potatoes they are very hard. Use a non-slip cutting board and a really sharp knife to make it easier. Place a damp washcloth under your cutting  board if you don't have a non-slip one. 

Peanut butter cookies with Nutella centers

Peanut butter, sugar and egg

My idea of any great peanut butter cookie is one without flour. There's something about flour and peanut butter together that doesn't sit well with me. Instead, I use three basic ingredients to make delicious peanut butter cookies.

My favorite addition to peanut butter cookies is some sort of chocolate. I often use Hershey's kisses, but I used Nutella for my last batch.

Peanut butter cookie ingredients

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar brown or white
• 1 egg
• Nutella

Homemade French fries with coarse sea salt

My entire family loves french fries, but I make them from fresh potatoes instead of buying frozen fries. Here is a simple French fries recipe to share with your family.


 Since I "eyeball" everything, and do not use measurements, here are the estimations.

Homemade French fries ingredients 

Homemade French fries with coarse sea salt

• Potatoes- two fist size potatoes per person
• Oil 
• Coarse sea salt
• Other seasonings optional

Kitchen tools needed

• High lipped pan, fry daddy or large pot
• Large serving dish
• Slotted spoon or long handled strainer
• Paper towels, napkins or white computer paper (if you're in a quick pinch)
• Sharp Knife

Homemade french fries preparation

Cut all the potatoes lengthwise into strips. If you plan to do a lot of potatoes place them into cool water to keep them from browning. I prefer a high-lipped pan for my potatoes. Set the temperature on medium to medium-high. Each stove is different so this may need adjusting. Add 2 inches of oil into the pan, and it should only take a few minutes to heat.

Put a sliver into the oil to test the temperature. If it begins to bubble its time to fry. Layer the potatoes in the oil. The fry time will be 25 to 35 minutes depending on the amount of fries, thickness and stove.

While the fries are cooking layer your serving dish with the paper. When the fries are brown scoop them out half the fries, and add coarse sea salt immediately after they come out of the fryer. Keep a close eye on the french fries once they begin to brown so they don't burn.

Turn Christmas dinner leftovers into breakfast recipes

Left over corn bread make great mush.

The holidays make me feel like our Christmas dinner should consist of 25 side dishes, two large meats and an array of buttered breads and desserts even when there are only four of us eating Christmas dinner. In my family's case, I still make a dinner large enough for 12. There are always leftovers, and although they are not wasted, it's overkill. This year I plan to downsize our Christmas dinner so I don't have to spend the entire time in the kitchen, and to use leftovers for a few tasty breakfast recipes. It also means we won't be eating the traditional turkey sandwiches for a month after Christmas.

Read full article:  Turn Christmas dinner leftovers into breakfast recipes

Secret ingredient corn bread muffins

My Jaden loves corn bread muffins. She loves them for breakfast, dinner and as a snack. I love corn bread too, but one of the biggest issues I have with corn bread is that it's dry even when it's not over cooked.

Wikimedia Commons

What's the secret ingredient?

One of the simplest ways have moist corn bread muffins, that stay moist, is to add one secret ingredient. Know what it is?  Cream corn. Yes, that's all it takes. 

Secret ingredient corn bread muffins

• 2 boxes Jiffy Corn Bread Mix (follow directions)
• 1 can cream corn, white or yellow

Add honey and butter

That's the big secret. One can of cream corn will make your corn bread muffins delectably moist and tasty. Add butter and drizzle it with honey for sweet corn bread muffins. This makes six to eight large muffins. You can cut the recipe in half if it is too much for you. 

Slow cooked pulled pork tacos

Taco toppings including cucumbers

This is not exactly a new recipe, but the way I used the slow cooked, pulled pork from Sunday. My kids love tacos so we made tacos out of the slow cooked pork.

You'll need:

• Slow cooked pork recipe
• Taco shells, soft or corn tortillas
• Tomatoes
• Spinach or lettuce
• Black Olives
• Cheese, your choice

Slow cooked pork roast in Coke-Cola

Seared pork roast

I recommend everyone purchase a slow cooker, also known as a crock pot. It's great to cook all types of foods from meat to side dishes to dessert, and all while you're doing something else besides cooking. I often use my slow cooker for meat and sauces and begin cooking them in the early, early morning, or before going to bed.

The other day I used my slow cooker for a sirloin tip pork roast. It was simple, tasty and great in other dishes. I bought the sirloin tip pork roast at Costco, but this cut isn't always available. If this pork roast isn't available buy a shoulder or some other pork roast.

Slow cooked pork in Coco-Cola ingredients

• Pork roast
• 1 whole red bell pepper coarsely chopped
• 1 whole onion coarsely chopped (I prefer Vidalias)
• 1 can Coca-Cola
• Salt 
• Pepper
• Garlic powder or fresh
• Grill Mates seasoning (optional & to taste)
• 1Tbsp olive oil

Slow cooked pork in Coco-Cola preparation

Seasoned, slow cooked pork roast

Heat a pan on medium to medium high with olive oil. Coat the pork roast in the salt, pepper, garlic and Grill Mates seasoning and sear it for a minute on each side for a good crust. Place the pork roast in the slow cooker.

Heat the chopped onions and red peppers in the pan for a minute to bring out the flavors. Take the peppers and onions out after a minute or two and set it aside. You won't need these again until the pork roast is nearly finished.

Pour the can of Coca-Cola in the pan to pick up the seasonings and flavors of the meat and pour it over the pork roast. The cooking time will depend on the size of the roast and the temperature setting.

Add the onions and peppers to the pork roast fifteen minutes before taking the roast out of the slow cooker.  They will finish cooking and soften in the slow cooker, and the pork roast will be very tender and fall apart. It tastes great served just as it is or can be used to create other dishes.

Heart healthy alternatives

Opt for a sirloin tip pork roast over a shoulder or butt if you prefer a leaner cut of meat. Exclude the coke to reduce the sugar content. The roast will still taste good without it.