Cheesy Ham Toast

The inspiration for this recipe came from Shrimp Toast.  But, as you can see from the name of this post, it metamorphosed immensely from conception to end product. 

Allow me to explain my thought process.  Since shellfish should be avoided by very young children and since most of the older ones that I know don’t like shrimp, it needed to be replaced.  Then of course, there is the need to add a healthy element (the broccoli).  So, after several recipe revisions in my head and several actual trial runs, I ended up with Cheesy Ham Toast.  The shrimp has been replaced by ham and the cheese was added along with egg substitute as the binding agent.  The final result has very little resemblance to Shrimp Toast, but tasty nonetheless. 

                   

Cheesy Ham Toast

6 slices of Country White bread or any other firm sandwich bread

1 cup coarsely chopped deli honey ham

3/4 cup coarsely chopped cooked broccoli

1/4 cup egg substitute

1.5 cup shredded cheese, divided (I used four cheese pizza blend)

a pinch each of salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper

1 -2 tbsp. olive oil

Place ham, egg substitute, broccoli, salt, pepper, cayenne, and 1/4 cup of cheese in a food processor and pulse (for less than a minute) until mixture is minced, but not pureed.  

Place bread slices on a cookie sheet and brush the tops with olive oil.  Broil on HIGH until bread turns golden brown, about 1 minute.  Remove from oven, turn slices over and brush the tops with olive oil.  Broil the second side until golden brown.  Remove from oven.

Spread ham mixture on each slice of bread.  Top off with the remaining cheese.  Broil on LOW for about 7-8 minutes or until cheese bubbles and develop light brown spots.

Cut into wedges and serve.

Chicken and Mozzarella Bite Kabobs

Eating things off a skewer is always fun.  So, mozzarella sticks and chicken on a skewer is double the fun and double the deliciousness.  These baked tasty bites make great treats for the family or for a crowd (this recipe can be easily multiplied).

I recommend taking the time to pre-toast the Panko crumbs to obtain a golden brown finish as the cheese and chicken require a short baking period.  If you don’t have the time, skip the skewering and serve with skewers on the side and dig in!

Chicken and Mozzarella Stick Bite Kabobs

4 mozzarella cheese sticks, cut into fifths

1/4 pound boneless chicken breast (slightly more is okay)

3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 1/2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg

1 tbsp. milk

1/8 tsp. salt

a pinch of pepper

20 skewers

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Beat egg and milk to make an egg wash.  Set aside.  Place flour in a small bowl.  Set aside. 

Spread Panko crumbs evenly on a cookie sheet.  Bake until crumbs are golden brown, about 3 minutes.  Stir halfway if Panko begins to brown unevenly.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.  Place in a small bowl and stir in Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese.

Working in batches of 4 or 5 pieces at a time, roll mozzarella in flour, shake off excess, dip into egg wash, and roll in Panko mixture.  Place on a plate.  Continue to coat all of the cheese.   Freeze for 1 hour to prevent oozing during baking.

Meanwhile, cut chicken into 20 small bite size pieces (about 1 inch thick each).  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  Use the same dredging process as for the mozzarella, dipping in flour, then egg, then Panko.  Place on a greased cookie sheet.  Can be chilled while waiting for the cheese.  Do not freeze.

Remove mozzarella from freezer after one hour.  Place on a greased cookie sheet.  Spray top of cheese with cooking spray.  Spray top of chicken with cooking spray.  Bake both in a preheated 375 degrees F oven for about 8 minutes.  The chicken is done when it becomes white inside; do not over bake.

To serve, work quickly to place one chicken and one mozzarella bite on each skewer.  Serve with marinara sauce.  Makes 20 skewers.

To double the recipe, use these measurements:

8 mozzarella cheese sticks, cut into fifths

1/2 pound boneless chicken breast (slightly more is okay)

1 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

3 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

2 tbsp. milk

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

40 skewers

Mashed Potato Sticks

I don’t know about anybody else, but my leftover mashed potato usually ends up in the trash after it sits in the fridge for a few days.  Immediately throwing it out would save time and effort, but guilt often gets the best of me.  Storing the potato first (prior to it meeting its destiny in the bottom of my trash bin) makes me feel as if I put in genuine effort to avoid wastefulness.

Well, waste no more! I finally discovered a simple, perfect solution to leftover mashed potato—turn it into potato sticks.  They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, very much like French fries.  Best served hot straight from the oven.

And, do kids like them? Well…they taste a lot like French fries…need I say more?

Mashed Potato Sticks

I recommend using creamy mashed potato, not smashed potato for this recipe

for every 1 cup of prepared mashed potato add the following

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1 tbsp. cornstarch

2 tsp. golden flaxseed  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Blend all ingredients thoroughly.  Spoon into a plastic bag and twist opening closed.  Cut a 1/2" to 3/4" slit in one corner of bag.  Pipe strips of potato (about 6 – 8 inches long) onto a greased cookie sheet.  Cover potato strips with a light coat of cooking spray.  Bake for 15 minutes or until bottom of potato is golden brown.  Turn potato sticks over and bake an additional 5-7 minutes.  Serve hot.

Note:  Wider strips of potato require longer cooking time.

Refrigerated potato strips are best served reheated in the oven for a couple minutes.

Cheesy Spinach Layered Biscuits

This recipe transforms ordinary store bought refrigerated biscuits into something a little more special for kids.  With the addition of spinach and flaxseeds for nutrients and cheese for extra yummy factor, these biscuits are a great snack or side.

I came up with this recipe a number of years ago to get spinach into my family and daycare children’s diet.  It is still one our sneaky food favorites today.

Cheesy Spinach Layered Biscuits

1 can flaky refrigerated biscuits

1 1/4 cup frozen cut spinach leaves

1 1/4 cup shredded pizza cheese

2 tsp. ground flaxseed meal

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place frozen spinach in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.  Place in a bowl and microwave for 20 seconds.  Wrap in a clean, dry towel or layers of paper towels and squeeze dry.  Separate and fluff spinach using fingertips.

Separate biscuit into three layers.

Reassembled biscuit.

Separate each biscuit into three layers.  Sprinkle flaxseed on all.  Add a thin coating of spinach to two layers.  Sprinkle cheese on all layers.  Stack the spinach layers on top of each other.  Top with the third layer (without the spinach).  Repeat these steps for all 8 biscuits.

Place about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 15 – 17 minutes.