Skipping Jack
I don’t have a picture of this take on hoppin’ john as it was gone too quickly. I’d say the recipe makes somewhere between two and four servings depending on the appetites of the people you’re feeding, but either way it will be gone quickly. Hoppin’ john is a combination of rice, black eyed peas and ham hock, but I’ve dubbed mine Skipping Jack as it’s similar in idea but different in ingredients enough to qualify for its own name. This rice and beans dish is flavored with soy chorizo, though you could use real chorizo if you like. I just tend to lean more vegetarian and recently discovered this alternative and I’m quite happy with it–it’s spicy, crumbly and very highly flavored, lending itself well to uses as a flavoring agent or garnish rather than a centerpiece. I used Trader Joe’s brand, but I’ve seen others floating around in other grocery stores so use whatever type you like. It’s also superb cooked into scrambled eggs and tucked into breakfast sandwiches.
Sausage Balls
This hearty dish of sausage and tomato gravy was and still is one of my favorite “grandma foods”–those dishes that originated with her and were made by special request when we visited. Sausage balls were the first thing I asked her to show me how to make when I went to college and the recipe turned out to be super simple and ridiculously good. The recipe can also stretch a single pound of bulk sausage into several more servings simply by adding a little more onion and tomato juice to make more gravy–excellent for those of us who would happily live on gravy bread and mashed potatoes.
Ham and Corn Chowder
This quick and hearty soup comes together with relatively little effort for rich results. You can vary the ingredients to reflect what you have on hand but this variation relies on the smoky nature of the ham and sweetness of the corn to balance each other in a perfect bowl of soup for a chilly and wet day. Enjoy this chowder with some crusty bread and a salad to make a simple but satisfying meal.
Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes with Ham
With a ham taking on a starring role in many holiday dinners and parties these days there aren’t many people who haven’t had to stare down a few pounds of leftover ham slices and come up with ways to use them other than sandwiches. This hearty potato dish is based on a meal my grandmother used to make for me and makes leftover ham something to look forward to instead of dread.
Curried Ham and Vegetable Couscous
Cook’s bone-in ham steaks make ham a great choice for simple and delicious meal ideas. This recipe takes only a few minutes to make and is simple enough that the whole family will enjoy it.
Ham and Cheese Pie
Ham and Cheese pie, or quiche, is very simple to make and is a great way to use up some of the extra stuff in your fridge. Because the base of this dish is eggs, it is very affordable to make and it is easy to keep the ingredients on hand for a simple, quick dinner.
