QUESTION: I served a large, whole, smoked ham to my family for Easter that seems to be multiplying in our refrigerator. Easter evening, half my guests were still there and we had ham sandwiches. As people left I gave everyone a good serving of ham to take with them. I’ve used the ham in several casseroles and we’re about fed up with ham sandwiches. We still have so much ham I’m afraid it’ll spoil before we can use it. What suggestions can you find for using leftover Easter ham? L.R., Anniston.ANSWER: How about Ham Stroganoff? Use any Beef Stroganoff recipe and substitute ham for the beef. Actually, you can substitute ham for just about any meat in any kind of entrée. Try ham instead of chicken in a Ham-Broccoli Casserole and Ham Croquets instead of Salmon Croquets. Add ham pieces to corn chowder or potato soup for a palate-pleasing change and a cup of chopped ham to dress up your macaroni and cheese casserole. A delicious dish is a Ham Pot Pie using ham pieces rather than chicken in the usual Chicken Pot Pie recipe. A couple of boiled eggs, neatly sliced and arranged just under the top crust of your Ham Pot Pie will add a tasty variation to the dish. In the sandwich category, if you haven’t already tried it, one Anniston chef suggests this recipe: Take two slices of your favorite bread, sprinkle grated cheese of choice on each slice, then a layer of sliced ham, then a layer of sliced, fresh tomatoes. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and a little basil, if you like it. No salt is necessary because of the ham. Run under the broiler until the tomato is broiled the way you like and remove from the oven. Let the two sides rest about a minute, cover one side with lettuce of choice and turn the other piece on top of the lettuce-topped piece. Voila — a delicious, hot sandwich.
Take drastic measures to add fluff to old ferns
QUESTION: I kept all the Boston ferns I had hanging on my porch last year in my basement all winter. They survived, but they look a little haggard. What can I do to help them recover from six months in storage? S.N., Anniston.ANSWER: The Master Gardener we spoke with about your ferns said you will probably have to take some drastic measures and exercise a little patience to see your ferns growing fluffy again. Do this: Take some fresh potting soil and fill at least one empty fern pot three-quarters full. Remove your old fern from the pot where it grows and with a sharp butcher knife, cut straight through the fern and roots to make two plants. Pot one of the plants in the fresh soil to which you’ve added a slow-release fertilizer according to directions on the package. Gently water the freshly planted fern and place where you want it to grow. Trim off spent fronds and leaves. Remove the spent soil from the pot of the other half of the plant, clean the pot, and follow the same procedure as already described. Instead of one fern, you’ll now have two and they will now have plenty of room to stretch their roots and grow into fluffy ferns. It’ll take a little time though, so be patient. Repeat with any other ferns
Better late than never to resolve to lose weight
QUESTION: I’m a little late with my New Year’s Resolution of losing weight. At least I’m starting and have two weeks on my side. I’ve lost 9 pounds so far. My problem is I get hungry, really famished, before I can get my meals prepared when I come home from work. Can you tell me foods I need to have on hand so I can quickly make a meal to eat before I grab the quickest thing to eat, which, at my house is bread and butter. T.J., Anniston. ANSWER: Here is a list of refrigerated and frozen foods to keep in good supply at your house as you lose weight, courtesy Weight Watchers, Inc. Now, to learn what to do with them if you don’t know, go to WeightWatchers.com and follow links.
In your refrigerator: Eggs (or egg substitute). Fat-free Parmesan cheese. Fresh fruit. Green onions. Jar of minced garlic. Low-fat shredded cheese. Low-fat yogurt. Low-sodium soy sauce. Pre-washed and sliced veggies. Ready-to-eat salad bags. Reduced-calorie margarine. Fat-free milk.
In your freezer: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Frozen pasta such as tortellini or ravioli. Frozen vegetables. Frozen yogurt. Lean meat and pork. Leftovers. Salad-size shrimp.
Tips
WE’RE HEARD FROM several “Ask us!” readers in response to the spring cleaning tips we’ve been sharing. All but one wants more tips on decluttering their kitchens. Maybe others of you would like some too. Yippee, we found a good source. These came from Cynthia Townley Ewer, editor of OrganizedHome.Com. Adjust the attitude. Before you open a drawer, clear a counter or tackle a shelf, give yourself an attitude adjustment. To successfully declutter the kitchen, harden your heart before you begin. An efficient, convenient kitchen must be pared to the bone. During the declutter process, resolve to dump delusions, sentiment, and indecision along with the expired coupons and never-used cookbooks. Decluttering is an activity that takes time, thought and energy. You’ll need every scrap of space and all your mental marbles for this activity, so begin with a clear deck and the tools you’ll use to do the job. Clear the counters, empty the dishwasher and bring your kitchen to an ordinary state of clean before you begin. Together with clear counters, you’ll need a minimum of four boxes and a good assortment of garbage bags to begin. Sturdy black plastic garbage bags not only hold lots of broken and discarded items, they also prevent Declutterer’s Remorse — the condition in which you second-guess your own decision to discard by retrieving items from the trash. Out of sight is out of mind, so declutter right into opaque trash bags for best results. Label boxes as follows: Put Away (Kitchen), Put Away (Elsewhere), Give Away/Sell and Storage. You’ll use one box for items that belong in another location in the kitchen, a second box for strays from other areas of the house. Items for Goodwill or a yard sale find a home in the Give Away/Sell box, while household possessions that need to be stored are entrusted to the Storage box. Trash belongs in trash bags, and quickly, too! Next: One step (drawer, cupboard or shelf) at a time.
