Ham and Potato Casserole

Comfort food at its finest. This recipe is a "momma" recipe and screams cold weather comfort food.
I cut down the ingredients so this recipe makes about 3-4 servings. I do love a good leftover to take for lunch the next day or looking forward to not cooking dinner the next night!

Ham and Potato Casserole:

Ingredients:

4 small baking potatoes: peeled/diced
1 cup diced ham(Publix has delish pre diced ham in the meat department)
1/4 large onion; diced
1 cup shredded white sharp cheddar
1 cup milk(I used my unsweetened coconut milk)
1/4 cup flour
1 Tbs EVOO
1 Tbs butter
1 tsp dry mustard
salt/pepper to taste

PreHeat oven to 350.
Peel and dice potatoes and place in pot of water. Bring to a boil and cook potatoes over medium heat until fork tender. Drain. In bowl combine potatoes and ham.
Heat EVOO in small skillet to medium heat. Add onion and cook 2-3 minutes along with spices.
Add butter and once melted sprinkle in flour. Stir to combine and cook 2-3 minutes. Pour in milk and site until thick sauce is formed. Toss in cheddar cheese and stir to combine. Pour over potato and ham mixture.
Spray small casserole dish of your choice with cooking spray.(about 8x8 or 9x9 size) Pour in casserole mixture.
Bake @350 for 30 minutes.

Banana Peanut Butter Muffins

These muffins are inspired by 2 co-workers. They went to a conference and came back talking about a delicious treat they had....banana bread with peanut butter. 
Me being me, I started brainstorming how I could make my own version. 
A family member told me Elvis is turning over in his grave at the sound of this recipe and a co worker today told me it was hands down the best food I've made that she has tasted so far! :) 


Muffin Ingredients:

•         2 large ripe bananas
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Frosting Ingredients: 

        1/2 cup powdered sugar

        1/2 cup peanut butter(I used fresh Whole Foods peanut butter)

        2 Tbsp softened unsalted butter

        1/2 tsp vanilla extract

        1 tsp or so of milk(add if consistency isn't frosting smooth)

For Muffins: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
2. Peel bananas, and mash in bowl with fork or potato masher. Add brown sugar, oil, and egg; beat until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir until smooth. Stir in greek yogurt and vanilla. Fill muffin liners three-quarters full. 
3. Bake about 25 minutes for regular muffins.Transfer to wire rack to cool. 

For Frosting: 

In small bowl combine all ingredients and whisk until combine. Once cupcakes have cooled, place a small amount of frosting on top of each muffin. Yum-o! 

Em's Gumbo

Lucky you, 2 recipes in one night!
I have had this recipe on hand for a few years now, but today a friend tried it and insisted I share on my blog.
Who doesn't like gumbo, and to me, it is a go-to winter comfort food.
While this meal might not be the most budget friendly, it is a great meal to serve to friends or family and the leftovers are insane!

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs: cut into small bites
2 andouille sausage links: diced
1 thick ham steak OR 1/2 lb ham cut into a thick slice(any deli will do this for you): diced
1/2 bag or 1 heaping cup frozen cut okra
1 green bell pepper: diced
1 onion: diced
2-3 garlic cloves: minced
1 box chicken stock(32 oz)
1/4 cup flour
1/4 EVOO plus 2-3 Tbsp
1 cup cooked white rice
salt/pepper to taste OR if you have it, creole seasoning

Heat 2-3 Tbsp EVOO in dutch oven to medium heat.
Cook 3 meats until cooked through, 5-10 minutes.
Remove meat to plate or paper towel to allow it to drain. In same dutch oven, heat 1/4 cup EVOO to medium heat. Add 1/4 cup flour. Stir to combine and continue stirring for up to 20 minutes until mixture is a golden brown.
Add pepper, onion and garlic. Cook 5-10 minutes. Toss meat back into mixture. Pour in chicken stock to coat. If not covered in stock, finish with water. You want to make sure your veggie/meat mixture is coated with liquid.
Reduce heat to medium low.
Cook 2.5-3 hours. (check on occasion to make sure you have enough liquid. If liquid has reduced, add a little more water)Taste for seasonings. At the time add creole seasoning, salt, pepper, whatever you like. I insist you wait until this moment to season, as the andouille, ham, etc will add a salty flavor to your gumbo and you don't want to OVER SALT your gumbo. YUCK!
Within the last 30 minutes, add frozen okra.
After 3 hours, serve atop white rice.

Yum-o!
This makes 4 hearty servings OR 2 dinners and 2 lunches. :)

Sorry my picture isn't the greatest. I once again forgot to take a finished product picture and I snapped this today at lunch!

Hoppin John!

Happy 2014!
The following recipe uses leftover black eyed peas from the good ol' New Years dinner.
I love a good hoppin' john any time of year and this one is super quick and easy. A great go to work night dinner.


Ingredients:

1/4 onion: diced
1/2 red bell pepper diced
1 jalepeno diced
1 andouille sausage: diced
1 heaping cup full of black eyed peas
2-3 Tbsp EVOO
1/2 cup leftover cooked white or wheat rice


Heat EVOO in large skillet to medium high heat. Saute peppers and onion for 2-3 minutes. Add andouille and sauté another 2-3 minutes. Add peas and rice to pepper and onion mixture. Combine and allow to heat through for 5-10 minutes.
Serve!
2 hearty servings OR 4 small portions that you could serve with a side salad.

Tips:

• No leftover black eyed peas? Substitute a 15 oz can of peas: drain and rinse first! 
• Go ahead and dice all of your bell pepper. Toss the extra pepper in a freezer ziploc and freezer for another meal. 
• I buy a 4 pack of andouille sausage. Freeze them individually and you have sausage for 4 different meals!