Do you still have some of that Easter Ham hanging around in your fridge, and you’re getting tired of eating ham sandwiches, or omelets?   I have a great recipe for you to create a delish casserole, and use up your ham.

Simple, tasty, and different, describes this dish very well.

Easy family dinner, in a matter of minutes.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked ham, sliced  (see tip below)
• 3 medium potatoes, cooked and sliced  (see tip below)
• 2 medium dill pickles, sliced to medalions
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 3 Tbs. butter
• 2 Tbs. all purpose flour
• 1 ½ cup consommé (I made mine out of a bouillon and warm water)
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce (I use Reduced Sodium)
• 4 drops Tabasco Pepper Sauce
• ½ tsp Black Pepper
• 1 ½ cups Sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Arrange the ham on the bottom of a casserole dish.
2. Layer the sliced potatoes on top of the ham.
3. Scatter sliced pickles over the potatoes.
4. Sprinkle the onions on top of the pickles.
5. Sprinkle the chopped garlic over the top.
6. Melt butter in the sauce pan, add flour, and sauté for 1 minute, stirring often to prevent browning.
7. Add consommé to the flour mixture, and incorporate to a smooth paste.
8. Mix in Worcestershire Sauce, Tabasco Pepper Sauce, and Black Pepper.
9. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
10. Temper the sour cream, by adding a little bit of the hot mixture into it and mixing it well.
11. Add sour cream to the sauce and incorporate it well into it, so it is smooth. Do not boil.
12. Pour sauce over the top of the casserole.
13. Sprinkle with Cheddar Cheese.
14. Bake uncovered, in a preheated oven, at 350° for 30 minutes.

Tip: My aunt sometimes would add 2 tsp of  horseradish instead of the Worcestershire Sauce, and sometimes use

1 cup of her leftover kobasie in addition to the 2 cups of leftover ham, plus leftover

mashed potatoes, instead of cooking and slicing new ones.  I personally do not care for the mashed potatoes,

since it makes the casserole kind of mushy.

photo credit: Last Hero

Here is a very simple question, regarding not such an easy task:

Do you like peeling potatoes?

Peeling potatoes doesn’t look difficult, especially when someone else is doing it, right?

I was always quite amazed by the speed my mom would peel potatoes, but no matter how hard I try; I don’t even get close to her speed.  I personally do not like peeling potatoes, and one of the reasons is that I feel very awkward using the potato peeler, so I use a paring knife, with a constant fear of cutting myself.   I use potatoes a lot in my cooking, so it is a must job for me!

However, as with any other problem, someone always comes up with a great solution.  My potato peeling dilemma has been eased by this simple “Never again peel potatoes” method.

Please watch this wonderful video, sent to me by a friend, and let me know what you think.

First time I watched this video, I had some doubts, but believe me, I tried it and it REALLY WORKS!!!!!!

I had Red Potatoes on hand, so I used those to test this theory.  Once the potatoes cooked, I drained out the hot water, filled a bowl with cold water from my faucet (I did not even use ice water), and placed the hot potatoe in it.  After 30 seconds, the potato skin came off like magic.

What a great time saver, especially if you are planning to make a potato salad.

Now, how easy and convenient is that??

Please give it a try, and let me know what you think.

Are you ready to throw away your potato peeler yet?

I am still keeping mine, since I love to use it for peeling carrots and cucumbers.

If you have additional “easy does it” suggestions for solving any other tedious tasks, please share them with me and all my readers, since I enjoy testing these out, and passing them on to others.

Not everyone loves potatoes, but who doesn’t love bread??????   How can anyone resist the aroma of a fresh baking bread……hmmm…yuuummmm………I’m sure not many of you!   I love them  both, with or without butter.  My theory is that everything is good for you, in moderation, plus a little exercise, and you are on the right track.

After I read this article I decided to copy and paste it into my post to share with all of you, my wonderful readers.

Top Diet Myths Exposed

Provided by

If you’re so committed to losing weight that you refuse to eat a baked potato for fear of eating empty carbs, you might be missing out on important nutrients and backing your diet into a corner. Open your mind to the truth behind these diet and weight myths and learn how to enjoy some of your favorite foods again.

Myth 1: Potatoes and bread are fattening.

Actually: It’s just the opposite. Starchy vegetables and bread (whole-grain bread, that is) are quality carbs needed to fuel every part of you, from your brain to your muscles. What gets you into trouble is how you eat them: Smear butter on a slice of whole-wheat bread or deep-fry potatoes and you can double, triple, or quadruple the calories.

Myth 2: Drinking a glass of water before a meal curbs appetite.

Actually: Yes and no. Water tames appetite if it’s incorporated into food, such as soup, or a thick drink, like V8 100% Vegetable Juice. Apparently, when water is bound to food, digestion is slower, explains Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of 10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman’s Diet.
That’s why women in one study found chicken-rice soup more satisfying than chicken-rice casserole and a glass of water — even though the soup had 27% fewer calories! One exception to this rule: It’s easy to confuse hunger and thirst, so if you find yourself craving something — but what? — drink a big glass of water and wait a few minutes. You may find that’s what your body really wanted.

Myth 3: Shellfish is high in cholesterol.

Actually: On the one hand, it’s true: Just 3 ounces of shrimp delivers more than a third of your daily cholesterol. But there’s a surprising flip side to this story: Shrimp is low in saturated fat — the kind that becomes artery-clogging bad cholesterol — and has a smidgen of heart-healthy omega-3s. In fact, University of Southern California researchers discovered that eating shellfish, such as shrimp, every week reduced heart attack risk by 59 percent!

Myth 4: The occasional burger and fries won’t kill you.

Actually: It depends on your definition of “occasional.” If occasional means every Friday night and then some, well, you may be pushing it. But if it means every few months, and you’re fit, and you’ve got good numbers (i.e., weight, waist size, cholesterol, blood pressure), AND you’re chowing down on vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and other nutritious fare most other days, hey, you’ll live. But few of us are that perfect. If you do occasionally indulge, offset the effects of a fat fiesta with a brisk 90-minute walk afterward.

Myth 5: Women naturally gain weight after menopause.

Actually: While you can blame a lot of things on hormones (everything from acne to PMS), in this case, slowing down physically is far more likely the cause. Study after study has found that older women who exercise regularly and vigorously can maintain their figures.

Myth 6: Diet soda is worse than the real thing.

Actually: We all would be better off switching to water, diluted fruit juice, and green tea rather than drinking soda — diet or regular. Both types increase kidney and heart disease risk, plus they contain acids that erode tooth enamel, inviting cavities.

Final Fact (this one’s no myth): Maintaining your weight, waist, and body mass index at a desirable level can make your RealAge as much as 6 years younger.

There are many different recipes for potato salad, but one of my favorite ones is the Suburban Potato Salad.   I love the added color and texture created by the fruit and vegetables.  It makes a very nice addition to other party foods, as well as a side dish for lunch, dinner, picnic, or barbecue.  This recipe makes about 6 cups of salad.

Ingredients:

• 13 red skin potatoes (about 4lbs), cooked (aldente)
• 2 Tbs. onions, chopped
• 1 cup green peas, cooked (aldente)
• 1 cup carrots (cubed ¼ inch), cooked (aldente),
• 5 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• ½ green apple, peeled and cubed (¼ inch)
• 2 Tbs. minced Claussen Pickles
• 1 Tbs. chopped dill (optional)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 cup Hellmann’s Light Mayonnaise
• ½ cup Light Sour Cream (or Oikos Greek Organic Plain Fat Free Yogurt)
• 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
• 2Tbs. Claussen Pickle brine

Directions:

1. Wash the potatoes, leave skin on, cover with cold water, bring to boil and cook until semi-cooked (they should feel firm, when testing the center with a toothpick).
2. Remove potatoes, drain, and cool off with cold water.
3. Peel the potatoes, by scraping the peel off, and removing all the eyes.
4. Cut into small (1/2 inch) cubes.
5. Add onions, green peas, carrots, eggs, pickles, apple, dill, salt and pepper.
6. Fold in gently.
7. Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard and pickle brine.
8. Pour over potato salad and fold in gently (do not over mix, as not to break down the vegetables).

Tip:  Make sure not to over cook the potatoes, carrots and peas, so that the salad does not become mushy, during mixing time.