Ham & Broccoli Casserole

I refuse to believe that trading recipes is silly. Tuna fish casserole is at least as real as corporate stock.
~Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

Yes, I've got several pounds of leftover ham. This casserole was very tasty!

The Recipe
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c white rice
1 c cream
2 1/4 c water
1 1/2 c grated cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cup broccoli florets
1 1/2 c cubed ham
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375
Mix all the ingredients less 1/2 cup cheese in an oven safe dish
Cover with foil and cook for 40 minutes
Remove foil, sprinkle remaining cheese on top
Cook for 15 minutes more

Easter Dinner - Ham

Omne vivum ex ovo "All life comes from an egg."
~Roman Proverb


Ham for easter dinner - it's not really a tradition, but it seems that we have it most years...

Deviled eggs, of course (that is a tradition - what else are you going to do with a plethora of hard boiled eggs?)

I cooked the ham with a glaze of brown sugar, orange juice, honey, pineapple and cherries. I just pour everything over the top of the ham and let it cook together, basting on the 1/2 hour or so. After getting the ham out of the oven (cook for approximately 18 minutes/ lb at 350 and let rest for about 20 minutes before carving) I poured the glaze into a gravy boat and spooned the fruit over the sliced ham.

We also had a fresh green salad, and some crescent rolls.

A "lite" repast compared to what I might usually prepare , but it was perfect afterall.

Baked Pollock

Agassiz does recommend authors to eat fish, because the phosphorus in it makes brains. But I cannot help you to a decision about the amount you need to eat. Perhaps a couple of whales would be enough.
~Mark Twain

Everyone has been clamoring for fish lately. And, it's true, we should eat more fish. I picked up some pollock (but this works with almost any fish), and this is a super quick and easy recipe!

The Recipe
Ingredients:
3 pollock fillets
1/2 c cream
2 tbs lemon juice
Salt & pepper
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350.
Place fish in an oven safe glass dish
Pour on the cream
Sprinkle with the lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Bake for 30 minutes

Served with baked potato, blanched fresh green beans, crescent rolls.
Wine: Beaujolais

Salad Buffet

A woman should never be seen eating or drinking, unless it be salad and Champagne, the only true feminine and becoming viands.
~Lord Byron

Family Movie Day (a once a month wintertime event) was at our house this month. I decided on a salad buffet.

Potato Salad (one of my specialities)

Ham Salad, Devilled Egg Salad, Chicken Salad,
Tuna Salad, and Tomato Cucumber Salad

Salad Salad and Bean Salad (I didn't make the bean salad)

Fruit Salad

Baked Chicken with Spinach and Cheese and Cherries

Spinach is susceptible of receiving all imprints: It is the virgin wax of the kitchen.
~Grimod de la Reyniere

The Recipe

So, I had the usual chicken breasts...hmmm...

I pulled out the oven safe glass dish and pre-heated the oven to the usual 375...

But I didn't want to do the usual.

So I tried something new.

I had a bag of baby spinach in the fridge. I rinsed it and patted it dry and put it in the dish. I had some mozzarella cheese, so I dumped it over the spinach. "Bland," I thought, so I added some fresh grated parmesan, and some salt and pepper. I put the chicken breasts on top of the spinach bed, and spiced it with some tarragon, thyme, and some more salt. Not quite there yet...it still needs something more. I perused the cupboard and saw a bag of dried cherries. I grabbed a handful and sprinkled cherries over the chicken.

I put it into the oven and let it cook for about 45 minutes.

It was yummy!

But, I don't know what to call it my chicken, spinach, cheese, cherry dish!