Simple Ham & Potato Chowder

This hearty & flavorful Simple Ham & Potato Chowder is a delicious way to use up leftover ham...

Can you all believe that Easter is less than a week away? Pretty soon we will all be sitting around the table enjoying an Easter ham dinner with our families. :) 

If your all's family happens to be anything like mine, we always bake a huge ham and then divvy up the leftovers to take home. But let's be real- there are only so many ham sandwiches and fried ham steaks you can eat in a week. Am I right?

That is where my recipe for this Simple Ham & Potato Chowder comes in handy.  And when I say that this recipe is simple, I mean it is really simple. 

You just need 5 ingredients (including a little leftover Easter ham) and 35 minutes to make a pot of this hearty and flavorful chowder happen in your kitchen...

Ham & Cheese Tater Tot Poutine

Fresh cheese curds and ham are served over top of crispy tater tots and then 

smothered in a turkey gravy in this easy to make Ham & Cheese Tater Tot Poutine...

Let's chat poutine for a minute, shall we? Some of you all may recall that my obsession with this delicious Canadian dish actually began for me in Orlando, Florida of all places. While I was attending the Food & Wine Conference there this past July, we were treated to an amazing poutine bar for lunch during one day of the conference. I bounced around from station to station falling in love just a little more with each cheesy, gravy laden bite. All poutine dishes have at least three basic ingredients- cheese curds, gravy, and french fries. Once you have those three things covered, the tasty variations and possibilities for poutine are endless.

Once I came home from my Food & Wine Conference experience, I desperately wanted to recreate and experiment with some versions of poutine myself at home. The only issue was that cheese curds are sort of hard to come by in West Virginia. Cheese curds are usually a product of local dairy farms, and dairy farms are few and far between in my state. That is why when I was invited to attend the Ohio Dairy Adventure in September I jumped on that chance! With visits to two local dairy farms and a stop at Pearl Valley Cheese on the trip's agenda, I was sure to get my hands on some fresh cheese curds. And once I found some, you had better believe that I stocked up on them. ;)

Once of the first things that I made with my cheese curds after returning home from my visit to Ohio's dairy country was this Ham & Cheese Tater Tot Poutine. Fresh cheese curds and ham are served over top of crispy tater tots and then smothered in a turkey gravy. This is the perfect busy weeknight or lazy weekend comfort food, folks...

Lemon Risotto with Brussels Sprouts & Crispy Ham

Bright lemon, fresh Brussels sprouts, crispy ham, and creamy arborio rice come together in this perfect for spring Lemon Risotto with Brussels Sprouts & Crispy Ham...

I am a gal that can enjoy a good homemade risotto any time of the year. It is pretty much my adult version of mac & cheese. A sophisticated take on comfort food, if you will. But there is just something about a good spring risotto- Am I right?

When you combine the bright, fresh flavors of spring with the creaminess of a risotto, delicious magic just happens, folks. ;)

When Speck Ham approached me about becoming their April Speckulator a couple of weeks ago, my mind was just spinning with the many ways that I could enjoy and prepare their amazing Italian ham that has been prepared and smoked using the same family recipe that has been passed down for generations. But ultimately, I knew that the smoky saltiness of their Speck Alto Adige ham would pair perfectly with bright lemon, fresh Brussels sprouts, and creamy risotto- a dish perfect for your spring dinner table!

Slow Cooker Soup Beans & Ham

Not only is this Slow Cooker Soup Beans & Ham recipe super flavorful & simple to make, but it also happens to be budget friendly as well... 

Let me introduce you all to the only way I can get my husband to eat beans- this Slow Cooker Soup Beans & Ham recipe I am sharing with you all today. As long as I serve it alongside a slice of fresh baked cornbread, he dives right in. 

But beans in chili? Nope. He picks them out. A three bean salad at a backyard BBQ? The man won't go near it. Refried beans at our favorite Mexican restaurant? It's never going to happen. But somehow homemade soup beans & cornbread is a whole other ball game for him. 

Maybe it is the nostalgia factor. I think most of us (at least most of here in West Virginia) grew up eating some variation of soup beans. In fact, many local diners and family owned restaurants around here often have a daily special of soup beans & cornbread on their menu board. 

And yes, I do think that the cornbread is essential, folks. I am not saying that you can't be perfectly content with a bowl of these soup beans and ham on their own, but the sweet cornbread just pairs so well with the creamy beans and the saltiness of the ham. 

It is definitely worth the extra 30 minutes or so to bake up a little homemade cornbread. This Cast Iron Skillet Corn Bread recipe happens to be one of my personal favorites... :)

Bavarian Ham Burger

 A juicy burger is topped with ham, cheddar cheese, & Heinz Yellow Mustard on a pretzel bun in this crowd-pleasing Bavarian Ham Burger...

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. 

I look forward to warmer weather all throughout winter. First of all, I am not a fan of snow or the cold. Yes, I know I need to move south or west. ;) But the other reason is for full-time grilling season! 

We grill all year round in this house- even if we have to shovel a little snow to get to the grill- but once the warmer weather becomes a regular thing around here we are out grilling at least twice a week. Usually my husband is the one manning the grill, so that also means I get a little break from the kitchen. (Not complaining, folks.)

Two essentials that we always have on hand for grilling is New Heinz® Yellow Mustard and Heinz Ketchup. Before we fired up the grill last week, I headed over to my local Walmart to stock up on our grilling must-haves...

Cherry Allspice Glazed Slow Cooker Ham

This easy to make Cherry Allspice Glazed Slow Cooker Ham is slow cooked all day in a simple & flavorful glaze...

This content was created in partnership with Kroger Family Stores using free products provided by Kroger.

This post first appeared on the Kroger Inspired Gathering site.

When it comes to entertaining and hosting a crowd during the holiday season, my slow cooker becomes my best friend. I can start one dish in my trusty slow cooker while I work on other dishes on my stove top and in the oven. It's almost like having an extra set of hands in the kitchen. 









Often I make the main dish in my slow cooker like I did with this Cherry Allspice Glazed Slow Cooker Ham. The glaze itself comes together easily in just minutes, making the prep for this flavorful and juicy ham almost effortless...

Super Simple Potato Ham Chowder

My grandmother sent us off from Christmas Eve dinner with a generous ziploc bag full of thick cut holiday ham.  Anyone else still have a bit of holiday ham that they need to do something with this weekend?  (Yeah, time is ticking by quick for that Christmas ham. ;) ) 

I wanted to quickly use up that last bit of ham last night.  You can only eat so many ham sandwiches in one week for lunch, right? 

We have had some pretty chilly evenings here lately, and I thought what would be better than a nice hearty pot of potato ham chowder for dinner?  This chowder is all homemade and so easy to make.  Even better, it is so easy to take this basic recipe and change it up by adding a few ingredients to make this chowder all your own.  

What you will need:

1 small onion, chopped

About 2 cups of thick sliced ham, cubed (I used about 4-5 slices.)

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

4 cups of chicken or turkey broth

In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat until the butter is melted.  Add your onions and saute for 2-3 minutes.

Add in the cubed ham.  Saute for another 3-4 minutes.  Pour in your broth and bring to a boil.  Add the potatoes and cook until tender.  Mash about half of the potatoes in the pot with a potato masher.  Make sure you leave some chunks though! 

Taste your broth and season to taste with salt and pepper.

And that is it! :) Easy, peasy, right?

Now if you want to get a little fancy, here are a few very easy variations for your Super Simple Potato Ham Chowder...

Add some soup beans or cannellini beans to make your chowder stretch even further.  I would add a bit more liquid to the chowder since the beans will add more starch.  Start with  1 cup of water or broth, and then add a little more if needed.

Add chopped kale near the end of the cooking time.

For a little kick, drop in a tablespoon of chiles in adobo sauce (pureed) or one Chile Cube.

Stir in a cup of shredded cheddar cheese and a few handfuls of steamed broccoli florets.

I just served up the classic chowder recipe with a sprinkling of monterey cheese on top. 

The basic recipe makes about 4 servings. 

How will you make your Super Simple Potato Ham Chowder?  Classic and simple?

One of the variations I suggested above?  

Or will you create your own take on it?   

Remember it is all about using what you have on hand! :)

Ham & Egg Salad {A Guest Recipe from Melissa's Cuisine}

Hi everyone! I’m Melissa and I blog over at Melissa's Cuisine. I’d love for you to stop by and visit my blog—I’m sure you’ll find something that you’ll love over there. If you like what you see, feel free to, stop by my Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter pages too, I love making new friends! I am honored to be posting here at Frugal Foodie Mama today. Thank you, Carrie, for having me!

Today I would like to share a recipe for ham and egg salad. I know when it’s so hot outside, I dread spending an hour in the kitchen making dinner. Instead, I tend to turn to easy dishes, especially cold ones, like this salad. Serve it on a big bun, alongside fresh watermelon and a green salad (and maybe some chips!), and you have a quick, easy, and delicious summer meal!
I made these hard-boiled eggs in the oven. Have you tried that method yet? You simply place one egg in each cavity of a muffin tin (I used a mini muffin tin) and place the eggs in a 350 degree oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Then place the hot eggs in a bowl of ice water for 10 minutes. The eggs will be done perfectly and the ice bath makes them peel so easily. Of course, these still take time to make, but I found it to be so much easier than boiling the eggs!
Since we had some leftover ham, I decided to toss it into the egg salad. It was a great decision! Mike and I both really enjoyed this salad and it was quite filling.

Ham and Egg Salad
Serves 6
Ingredients: 6 hard-boiled eggs 1/2 cup diced ham 2 Tablespoons pickle relish 1/2 cup mayonnaise salt and pepper, to taste
1. Chop hard-boiled eggs into small pieces.
2. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. If necessary, add more mayonnaise to achieve desired creaminess.
3. Add salt and pepper to meet your desired taste.
Serve immediately or store in the fridge until you're ready to serve.

Thank you so much, Melissa for sharing this recipe with all of us!  I know what I am making for our next picnic lunch... even if it is just sitting out on our deck for the afternoon. ;)  Make sure you stop by Melissa's Cuisine to check out all of her yummy recipes!

10 Family Approved Dinner Recipes

These tried and true 10 Family Approved Dinner Recipes are meals that my family asks for time and time again...

I know some of you all have to wonder every once in a while if food bloggers actually end up making and serving the recipes that they share on their blogs often or just a few times for recent development and testing and then we post it and are done with it. Well, I am here to tell you all that the answer is BOTH. 

There are definitely recipes- delicious recipes- that I have shared on here that I have only made a handful of times. It isn't that myself and my family didn't like them or that we wouldn't want to eat them again, but for some reason or another those particular recipes just didn't become family favorites. 

But then there are recipes, like these 10 Family Approved Dinner Recipes I am sharing with you all today, that my family asks for over and over again and that appear on my weekly plan more than once a month. Not only are these dinner recipes tried and true, but I know these will be the meals that my children will remember years later and ask for when they come home to visit from college (and probably beyond that)... ;)

Make Your Holiday Dinner Simple & Easy with the Bob Evans Premium Farmhouse Feast

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bob Evans Restaurants for IZEA Worldwide. All opinions are 100% mine.

The holiday season was meant for spending quality time with your family and loved ones. Make your holiday dinner simple & easy this year with the Bob Evans Premium Farmhouse Feast...

I love sharing a special meal with my family during the holidays. In fact, it is one of my favorite parts of the holiday season. Coming together, gathering around a table to enjoy a family-style meal, sharing stories, and just enjoying a little time together.

What I don't sometimes like about family holiday dinners is that someone (usually me) gets stuck in the kitchen cooking and baking up a storm while everyone else gets to come together, share stories, and enjoy a little time together. 

But I have a little secret to share with you all that I just discovered for myself... you can let Bob Evans do all the preparation for that family feast for you this holiday season by ordering their Premium Farmhouse Feast either online, in store, or over the phone. That's right! Your next holiday dinner can be made simple with Farmhouse Feast.

Bob Evans Premium Farmhouse Feast provides a complete "home-cooked" meal for 8-10 dinner guests without all of the hassle.

Cranberry White Wine Sauce

Forget the canned stuff for your holiday dinner! This classy Cranberry White Wine Sauce takes just 4 ingredients and 15 minutes to make...

In case you all have been too busy to notice, Christmas is just two days away.

Two days, folks. Who all is ready? ;)

I can honestly sit here and say for once that I am ready. I did just finish wrapping up the last of the gifts last night, but I am done. Everything is ready to be placed under the tree and then ripped open in less than 48 hours. 

I believe this may be a first for me, friends. 

So now that the whole gift wrapping business is done and crossed off my holiday to-do list, I am focusing on my Christmas dinner menu. 

I actually wasn't planning on hosting a big family dinner for Christmas this year, but my husband kind of changed all that thinking when he came home from work the other day with a 20 pound ham in a bag.  

This thing is huge. So naturally, I decided that hosting family for a big Christmas dinner would be in order. 

Printable Holiday Leftovers Recipe Tags

Send your guests home with dinner & party leftovers & tasty recipe ideas too with these free Printable Holiday Leftovers Recipe Tags...

This post is brought to you by Glad. Freshness, wrapped up.

Anyone who knows me personally already knows two things about me-

1. I love hosting holiday dinners and get-togethers. And...

2. I hate for anything to go to waste, so I always send my dinner & party guests home with leftovers and goodies to enjoy later.

Did you know that each Thanksgiving Americans throw out around $282,000,000 worth of turkey?  Yep. I cringe at the very thought, folks.

If you happened to gasp as well at reading that number up there, then you will love the fun little solution I am sharing with you all today to help reduce food waste this holiday season.

Armed with Glad Press N’ Seal® Wrap and some free printable recipe tags I created, you can do your part to help reduce food waste and keep holiday foods fresh while sending your holiday dinner guests home with some fun and tasty leftovers and recipe ideas...

Hawaiian Pizza Pineapple Bites

These grilled Hawaiian Pizza Pineapple Bites have all the deliciousness of a traditional Hawaiian pizza minus the guilt...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Save-A-Lot. The opinions and text are all mine.

Can we talk tailgating/football party food for just a sec? I think the food is the best part of game day. 

Yes, I get into the game (most of the time), but it doesn't matter to me if the home team is winning or losing just as long as there is good food being served. 

The only issue I take with most traditional game day snacks is how unhealthy they can be. Not that I am a huge health nut, but it is definitely nice when there are a few healthier options on the menu for the big game.

I know what you all are thinking right now- healthier food has to be more expensive & that just doesn't jive when you have to feed a crowd for the game. But healthier game day eating doesn't have to empty your wallet. Not when you can shop at your local Save-A-Lot for all your football party needs. ;) 

That's right- your local Save-A-Lot has all the fresh (& healthy!) produce, meats, & even the essential paper products you need to make your game day get-together delicious & healthier without breaking the bank!

10 Gorgeous Salads for Your Holiday Dinner

Brimming with seasonal fruits & veggies, these 10 Gorgeous Salads for Your Holiday Dinner will be a bright & fresh addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner table... 

I just love a big traditional holiday dinner with all the fixings- ham, mashed potatoes, homemade rolls, the works. But I also like to change things up a bit and add a fresh & bright salad to my holiday dinner table. 

I know that salad might not be the first dish that comes to mind for most when you think of Thanksgiving, winter time, and Christmas, but there are so many seasonal fruits and veggies that are at their peak this time of the year. 

I perused some of my favorite food blogs & gathered up 10 gorgeous winter salads chock full of kale, persimmon, pomegranate, spinach, oranges, whole grains, pears, squash, beets, and so much more. :)

Not only are each of these salads packed with in-season ingredients that you shouldn't have any trouble finding at your local grocery store right now, but they are all full of gorgeous colors and bright flavors. A feast for the eyes and the stomach!

Brimming with seasonal fruits & veggies, these 10 Gorgeous Salads for Your Holiday Dinner will be be a bright & fresh addition to your holiday dinner table...