Pizza Friday: Hawaiian Pizza

We recently went to Southern California to visit my dad and stepmom. On the way home we were lucky enough to fly out of John Wayne Airport in Orange County, which despite being a very small airport has a surprising number of decent eateries. At least compared to Newark Airport. Ugh. I will never forget the truly awful, inedible bagel sandwich I had on the flight out. Blech.



Anyway. Steve and Katie decided to split a Hawaiian pizza from California Pizza Kitchen and immediately asked me to recreate it at home. I've been making Hawaiian pizza for years. It's Katie's all-time favorite and I usually make it with cubed ham and caramelized pineapple, which is freakin' delicious. But they asked for this version, with thinly sliced ham and larger slices of pineapple, so I acquiesced.

Hawaiian Pizza

1/2 ball pizza dough
1/2 cup pizza sauce (we love Don Pepino)
8oz shredded mozzarella cheese
8 pieces of very thinly sliced ham, cut in half
small can pineapple rings, each ring cut in half
dried oregano
garlic salt

Place a pizza stone in your oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Lay a piece of parchment paper the size of the pizza stone on a work surface. Dust lightly with flour and roll out the pizza dough into a 14-inch circle. Spread the pizza sauce in a thin layer over the dough, leaving a half-inch margin around the outer edges. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the top, then add the pieces of ham and pineapple. Dust with some oregano and garlic salt, to taste.

Transfer the pizza on the parchment paper to the pizza stone. Bake for 15 minutes, checking often to make sure there are no bubbles forming. I keep a poking stick handy to pop them during the first 5 minutes.

Remove the pizza from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Crazy (but delicious) Pasta Salad

I'll warn you now - the ingredients in this pasta salad are WEIRD.



I'm always up for trying new things, but when I ran this one by Steve he looked at me like I had three heads. I suggested we try it out for Sunday dinner with my parents (they're such troopers, always being my tasters for new recipes). And then I remembered I had an appointment early Sunday morning so he'd be the one actually making it. I figured it was easy - the only cooking you have to do is boiling the pasta - and it would be a chance for Katie to help out in the kitchen. They were just getting started mixing up the sauce when I left and by the time I got home the salad was done and chilling in the fridge. And Steve admitted it was delicious.



Later, when we served it to my parents, we all kept going back for another spoonful. I won't pretend to know why but trust me, it works. And it couldn't be simpler. This is definitely one of those side dishes I'm going to make again and again.

Allison's Best Pasta Salad
As seen on Taste and Tell

2 cups dry farfalle (bowtie) pasta
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups diced, cooked ham
1 1/2 cups red grapes, halved
6 oz sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
1/2 cup sliced green onions

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and reserve.

While the pasta is cooking, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream/Greek yogurt, cider vinegar, mustard, sugar, pepper, dill and salt in a small bowl.

Once the pasta is finished cooking, combine the drained pasta, ham, grapes, cheese and green onions. Pour the dressing over the top and stir to coat. Cover and chill for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Every Easter my mom makes a ham and sends us home with leftovers. This year I had my eye on a new recipe for Scalloped Potatoes and Ham. I liked that Ree added onions and cheese so I was excited to give it a try.



When I made this I followed her recipe exactly save for one thing - precooking the potatoes. I made the mistake years ago of attempting to make scalloped potatoes using raw potatoes. It simply does. not. work. Do NOT make that mistake. You must always parboil the potatoes, otherwise you'll be waiting forever for the potatoes to cook through (or eating crunchy potatoes). I also splurged and used heavy cream, something I haven't purchased in years. And you know what, this was way too rich. Our tastes have certainly changed so feel free to use equal parts half-and-half and heavy cream, if that's what floats your boat. Next time I'm switching to all half-and-half or maybe even equal parts half-and-half and milk.

Another tip - use more cheese. I upped the amount below. And do yourself a favor and use extra sharp Cheddar. Steve didn't even realize there was cheese in the dish until he was setting aside his lunch portion.

It may sound like we didn't enjoy this but that's definitely not the case. And I wanted to share it with you now because I'm confident these small tweaks will make all the difference.

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman

3 pounds Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
1 yellow or sweet onion
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups diced ham
3 cups half-and-half (or 1 1/2 cups each half-and-half and milk OR heavy cream)
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8oz grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
4oz grated Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a large, deep casserole dish (at least 2 1/2-quarts, preferably larger).

Peel the potatoes, rinse under cold water, then pat dry. Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, slice potatoes into very thin slices (1/8-inch). Put the slices into a large pot of cold water. Repeat with the remaining potatoes. Once all the potatoes are sliced, bring to a boil then continuing boiling for 3 minutes. Drain well and set aside to cool slightly.

Cut the onion in half then cut each half into thin slices. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onions. Cook until they start to caramelize, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Combine the half-and-half and milk OR heavy cream (if using) then whisk in the flour, salt and black pepper until totally combined. Set aside. Combine the two grated cheeses. Set aside.

Layer 1/3 of the potato slices in the buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle on 1/3 of the ham and onions, then 1/3 of the cheese, then pour on 1/3 of the cream mixture. Repeat this twice more, ending with a sprinkling of cheese before pouring on the rest of the cream mixture.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes at least, or until bubbly and hot.

Ham and Potato Soup

I figured I should share this recipe with you guys before the weather changes. Although, if you live in the Northeast like I do, you may be wondering if it will ever be warm again. They're calling for snow tomorrow, for crying out loud. No thanks. Bring on summer!

I printed off this recipe for Ham and Potato Soup awhile ago and finally decided to make it. When I actually read the recipe (anyone else tend to do that, just read the ingredients and not the directions?) I decided to make some changes. For starters, dirtying two pots to make soup seems wrong. I also like to saute veggies to add that extra layer of flavor.

The result was delicious - thick and rich and creamy. At first I thought the soup would need some other seasoning, like thyme or rosemary, to brighten it up, but this was perfect just with salt and pepper. The leftovers reheated well the next day, too. I'll definitely make this again.

Ham and Potato Soup
Modified from Allrecipes

3 1/4 cups water
2 cubes chicken bouillon
5 tablespoons butter
1 rib celery, diced
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper
5 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 1/4 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
7oz ham steak, cut into bite-size pieces

Bring the water to a boil in a pot or an electric kettle. After the water comes to a boil, transfer it to a bowl or glass measuring cup and add the chicken bouillon cubes. Stir to dissolve the bouillon. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the celery and onion and cook until the onion is translucent and starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add some salt and pepper to season the veggies, then add the flour. Stir to coat all the veggies with the flour, then cook for 1 minute.

Add the water with the bouillon and the milk to the pot and whisk to get rid of any lumps from the flour. Add the potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Once the potatoes are cooked, add the ham to the soup. Stir to heat through, then taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve immediately.

Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions

I like to put at least one sandwich on the menu each week. They're usually easy to make and we all enjoy them (although Baby Girl likes to deconstruct her sandwiches/burgers so she can eat each ingredient separately. Don't ask.) I saw these Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches with Bacon and Caramelized Onions on Pinch of Yum and thought they'd make a great grilled cheese sandwich.

I asked SP to get a loaf of rye bread at the store and it was the perfect bread for these sandwiches. Even though everything is better with bacon, I ended up skipping the bacon on these since they already had ham. The caramelized onions added just the right amount of sweetness to cut through the savory sauce. Delicious.

Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions
Modified from Pinch of Yum

1 yellow onion
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup mayo
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
spreadable butter
8 slices of bread (I used rye)
1 pound sliced deli ham
1/2 pound sliced Swiss cheese

Slice the onion into thin strips. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet; add onions and cook over very low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions will turn a deep golden color.

Whisk the mayo, mustard and Worcestershire sauce together.

Spread some of the spreadable butter on each slice of bread. Flip each slice over and spread 1/4 of the sauce on each of four slices, then top those slices with 1/4 of the ham, onions, and cheese. Complete the sandwiches with the other four slices of bread to make four sandwiches, butter side out.

Heat a griddle over medium-low heat. Add the sandwiches and cook until the bread is golden brown on both sides and the cheese melts. You want to go low and slow so the cheese and filling have a chance to warm through before the bread burns.

Cut in half and serve immediately.

Hot Ham or Roast Beef Sandwiches

I'm on a sandwich kick lately. I can't get enough of them and the possibilities are endless. The Pioneer Woman recently posted these Hot Ham or Roast Beef Sandwiches as yet another version of the ham and Swiss sliders that have been making the rounds lately. SP loves roast beef so I figured I'd make a combo of ham and roast beef sandwiches for dinner.

While SP enjoys the Sweet Ham and Swiss Sliders, he doesn't really like the sticky, sweet glaze (which happens to be my favorite part). He was a big fan of these because they were individually wrapped, which does make them easier to heat and allows you to make only as many as you need, and the fact that the glaze was turned into a spread that goes on the inside of the sandwich. I made 9 sandwiches plus a mini one for Baby Girl using a leftover slider roll. We ate five for dinner and lunches the next day and the rest went in the freezer for another time.

I forgot to take a photo when we originally had these for dinner and since then I've taken to defrosting a ham sandwich and adding one egg, usually scrambled sometimes fried, for a quick breakfast sandwich that's incredibly delicious (see photo). The mustard-mayo is a great compliment to the egg. I've got some leftover Easter ham in the freezer that I'm planning to use to make more of these.

Hot Roast Beef/Ham and Cheese Sandwiches
As seen on The Pioneer Woman

12 dinner rolls or small sandwich buns
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire
1 pound thinly shaved roast beef or ham (or both)
1 pound cheese (provolone, Swiss, mozzarella, cheez whiz)

Slice rolls in half. Mix together mayo, onion powder, poppy seeds, mustard, horseradish, and Worcestershire. Taste and adjust to your personal preference.

To assemble, spread mayo on top and bottom buns. Layer on roast beef or ham, then one or two slices of cheese. Wrap each sandwich in a foil square, and either keep in the fridge, freeze or bake right away.

To bake the sandwiches, put them on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes. The buns should be slightly crusty and the cheese should be melted.

Overnight Ham and Cheese Breakfast Enchiladas

My mom warned me there would be a lot of leftover Easter ham this year so I figured I'd better have a game plan in place. As luck would have it, this recipe for Overnight Ham and Cheese Breakfast Enchiladas showed up in my blog reader right before the holiday. I love make-ahead casseroles and this was intriguing because it involved tortillas instead of bread.

I was worried the egg mixture would turn the tortillas into mush like a typical strata but I needn't have worried. This was so easy to prep since there's no cooking involved, just chopping/grating.

Since I was serving this for dinner I assembled it in the morning and then baked it off that night. Delicious, filling and a great way to use up some of the leftover ham. I'll definitely be making this one again.

Overnight Ham and Cheese Breakfast Enchiladas
As seen on The Girl Who Ate Everything

2 cups cubed and cooked ham
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
8 flour tortillas (6-8 inches)
1 1/4 cups half-and-half
4 whole eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon flour
salsa, sour cream, diced avocado and additional green onions for serving

In a medium bowl stir together ham, green onions and 2 cups of cheese (save the remaining 1/2 cup for later).

Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Use a 1/3-cup measuring cup to scoop out cheese mixture onto a tortilla. Roll up tortilla and place seam side down in the baking dish. Roll up all tortillas and place them into the baking dish with the sides touching.
Whisk together half-and-half, eggs, salt, and flour. Pour over tortillas. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, preheat oven to 350º. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over enchiladas. Bake for 10 more minutes or until tops are golden brown and the egg mixture is set.

Serve with salsa, sour cream, avocado and additional green onions.

Recipe Swap - Mini Monte Cristos

Disclaimer - I'm a slacker. Due to Hurricane Sandy I pushed the Game Day Recipe Swap back a week, giving participants three full weeks to make their assigned recipe and I still couldn't get it together. I don't have a good defense but thankfully I have a good friend named Jaida who writes the blog Sweet Beginnings. She graciously stepped in to make my recipe when I frantically texted her and asked for help. Thanks hon!

Below is her review and photo. I really need to find some time to make these - they sound amazing and SP loves Monte Cristo sandwiches.

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It’s no secret to any of my readers that I have a possibly unhealthy love for all things sandwich, so when Sarah asked me if I could step in and make this recipe, from The Jey of Cooking, for the swap, there was no hesitation is saying yes! In fact, I went to the store and got the ingredients that very day, and had them while watching football. Very fitting, since the theme for this round of the swap was Game Day Food!

I’m not usually big on frying anything (although I will go all out on the fried foods when I’m at a bar!), but these don’t taste fried or give that heavy, I just ate a ton of fried crap, feeling that sometimes happens. Nope, it was just pure, bite-sized deliciousness, dipped in pancake batter, pan-fried, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and dipped in raspberry jam. That’s right folks...raspberry jam. But, don't let the small size fool you...these little puppies will fill you up. I ate three and I was down for the count. Until later, when I had another. Then later another. You get the picture.

I texted Sarah immediately to tell her how delicious they were, accompanied by a picture. Obviously I was excited...and thankful she asked for my help! Now, football season is in full-force so you need to add these to your menu for the next game. Trust me…you, your friends, your boyfriend/husband/significant other, will be so glad you did!!

Mini Monte Cristos
As seen on The Jey of Cooking

6 slices bread
Mustard
6 slices ham, thinly sliced
6 slices turkey, thinly sliced
6 sliced Swiss cheese, thinly sliced
1 cup buttermilk pancake mix
2 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Vegetable oil, for frying
Raspberry jam, for serving
Powdered sugar, for topping

Trim the crust off each slice of bread and flatten with a rolling pin. Spread the tops with mustard. Top with 1 slice of ham, 1 slice of turkey and 1 slice of Swiss cheese, to fit.

Roll bread tightly into a log shape (you can use plastic wrap to assist in the rolling, if desired). Wrap very tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Mix the pancake mix and eggs together until well combined, then add the evaporated mil, salt and cinnamon. Mix well.

In a deep saucepan, heat 1 1/2 inches of oil over medium heat, to 375 degrees F. Unwrap each roll and secure with 3-4 toothpicks. Slice each roll into 3-4 pieces, leaving the toothpicks intact.

Dip each piece into the prepared batter, then place into the heated oil. (To test the temperature of your oil, drop a small amount of batter into the saucepan. Adjust the temperature as necessary so that your batter drop becomes golden brown within 20-30 seconds.) Fry 3-4 at a time, so you don't overcrowd the pot and drop the temp of the oil, for 1-2 minutes per side, turning once, until golden brown.

Remove the bites to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with raspberry jam, for dipping.

Sweet Ham and Swiss Sliders

I love sandwiches but for some reason I rarely make them for dinner. I'm not sure why - they're generally easy to put together and, in the case of these Sweet Ham and Swiss Sliders, can be quite filling and delicious.

If you belong to Pinterest or read food blogs I'm sure you've seen various iterations of these floating around. I picked this recipe after seeing it on my friend Melissa's blog, I Was Born to Cook. I liked the idea of using regular dinner rolls (mine were actually potato rolls) instead of Hawaiian rolls, which I've never seen in my supermarket. I also liked the addition of the brown sugar for a mild sweetness to offset the tang from the Dijon.

Like Melissa said in her post, these would be perfect to serve while watching any type of sporting event. Their small size are perfect for parties and even Baby Girl gobbled hers up. You could also sub turkey (like Melissa did) for the ham with equally delicious results. I can't wait to make these again. Easy and delicious is a win in my book.

I served these with crispy potato wedges made using this recipe for oven fries. Yum!

Sweet Ham and Swiss Sliders
From Heather Likes Food

12 dinner rolls, cut in half
24 slices Honey Ham
16 slices Swiss cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 400°

In a 9x13 glass baking dish, place bottom half of dinner rolls and top with 2 slices of ham and 1 slice of Swiss cheese. Spread about 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise on each top-half of roll and place on top of ham and cheese. You want the rolls to be snug together.

In a small bowl combine the mustard, melted butter, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, and brown sugar. Mix until combined and evenly pour over the assembled rolls. You will not need all the sauce. Cover with foil and refrigerate for up to 20 minutes.

Bake covered with foil for 10 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the tops are browned, and cheese is melted. Serve hot or warm.

Ham, Egg and Cheese Cups

I had my eye on these Prosciutto Egg Cups from the moment I opened Nichole's email submission for the recent Breakfast Swap. The name alone grabbed me but then I read her post and saw how easy they were to make and I was sold.

I've actually been making these for a few weeks now but I didn't want to post about them until after the swap reveal. Since I don't keep prosciutto on hand I subbed regular deli ham. It worked just fine. I've experimented with various cheese as well, based on what we have easily accessible in the fridge. I always have American cheese for Baby Girl so I used that once. In this version I used a fun cheddar-like cheese we got after sampling it at the supermarket. Use whatever you like and have on hand.

What makes these stand out for me is the Italian seasoning. The first time I made these and took my first bite I was floored by the flavor. Silly me had forgotten about the Italian seasoning I'd just sprinkled on a mere 17 minutes earlier. That surprise flavor elevates these to another level.

I've yet to make these in advance and reheat them, but I'm sure they would do so beautifully. Thanks for submitting this awesome recipe, Nichole!

Ham, Egg and Cheese Cups
Adapted from Arepas to Zwetschgen via The Cookaholic Wife

Non-stick cooking spray
6 slices prosciutto or ham
Shredded cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, American, Swiss, etc.)
Dried Italian seasoning
6 large eggs
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375. Liberally spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.

Arrange each slice of prosciutto (or ham) in the muffin tin, covering the bottom and coming up the sides. Add a pinch of so of the cheese and a dash of the Italian seasoning. Crack one egg into each muffin cup and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake for 15-18 minutes. 15 minutes will result in a semi-runny egg and 18 minutes will result in a fully cooked egg. Allow to cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then run a butter knife around the edge of each cup and gently remove the eggs from the muffin pan.

Recipe Swap: Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Want to see what other One Pot Meal recipes were made during the swap? Here is the link to the One Pot Meal Recipe Swap Roundup

The theme for this recipe swap is One Pot meals. Most people love having meals in their arsenal that involve mixing a few ingredients together and letting the oven or crock pot do most of the work. I've always wanted to make Scalloped Potatoes and Ham so I was excited to get Ashley's recipe.


In the interest of full disclosure, SP was not a fan of this one. At all. He was put off immediately by the red potatoes, claiming scalloped potatoes should only be made with Yukon gold or russets. After baking this I have to agree. Even after an hour and a half of baking the red potatoes were still a bit crunchy. Yukon gold or russet seem to break down better when cooking, which is why they are preferable for a recipe like this. Even so, I absolutely loved this recipe and his dislike meant I got all the leftovers. I actually ate this three days in a row, which is pretty impressive. I'm usually a dinner and lunch the next day-only leftovers eater.

Based on my experience making this I made quite a few changes in the recipe below, swapping the red potatoes for Yukon gold or russets, pre-cooking the potatoes in the milk and cream mixture like I do for my potato gratin, and modifying the seasonings to suit our tastes. I think the changes will elevate this to excellent and hopefully I can convince SP to let me try again.

This is true comfort food and perfect for this time of year. Thanks for a delicious one pot meal, Ashley!

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Modified from Cheesecurd in Paradise

2 large cloves garlic, 1 halved and 1 minced
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 1/2 pounds Yukon gold or russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
12-16 ounces cooked ham steaks

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Rub an 2 1/2-quart baking dish with the cut sides of the garlic halves and discard the halves. Coat the inside of the dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter.

In a large pot, combine the milk, cream, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, fresh thyme and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add the potato slices to the milk mixture. Repeat with remaining potatoes. Bring the milk mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Add shredded cheese and stir to melt.

Meanwhile, heat a large, dry skillet over medium heat. Add the ham steaks and cook on both sides until it begins to brown in spots and some of the liquid is released. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before cutting into cubes.

Transfer half of the potatoes to the prepared dish. Add half the ham. Top with the remaining potatoes and ham. Pour all of the milk mixture over the potatoes. Cover the dish with buttered aluminum foil, buttered side down.

Bake for 40 minutes, then uncover and bake until the potatoes are tender, the liquid bubbles thickly and the top is brown and crusty, about 20 minutes longer. Remove from the oven, let stand for 10 minutes, then serve.

Ham, Ranch Mac and Cheese, Roasted Broccoli

I love macaroni and cheese. What's not to like about creamy, cheesy pasta? My college actually had pretty good food and one of my favorite lunches was macaroni and cheese. I'd stalk the online menu for weeks looking for it to reappear and when it did I would savor each and every bite. It took me a long time to find the perfect recipe and then I found another that was slightly different, but also perfect.

But that doesn't mean I won't try other macaroni and cheese recipes. Sometimes you want something different and this recipe for Ranch Macaroni and Cheese sounded fun.


I served it with ham steaks and roasted broccoli topped with Pecorino. The Ranch dressing added a nice tang and even Baby Girl loved it. Since I prefer baked macaroni and cheese I put the pasta and sauce into a casserole dish and topped it with the crushed Ritz, then baked it for about 30 minutes.