Menu

I probably should have prefaced my previous post with the fact that I plan my menus a week in advance. from my blog browsing I realize a lot of other people do too. I wish I knew this a while ago as most of my friends joked with me about this. The planner that I am it never occurred to me that it was strange! :-) I found it necessary to prevent the question of "what is for dinner" and oh I don't feel like that. Of course this is only if you can read . .my four year old still asks the question What are we having for dinner. Which I am a bit befuddled by as the only thing the kid will eat is chicken nuggets! :-)
On the menu this week are a few items that will use the leftover ham from Easter. I must be used to still hosting large gatherings as I picked a ham from Costco which could have easily fed our small neighborhood.
Monday we had ham and cheese biscuits with a very yummy poppy seed spread. I think I look forward to these just as much as the Easter dinner.
We grilled out this weekend and have now gotten into the habit of grilling extra meat for later in the week. Usually it is chicken breasts which we did this week and it is so yummy over a salad. Also makes for a great easy quick meal.
I have a long standing stuffed shell recipe that calls for diced ham. Sound unusual but it is very good and freezes well. Our backyard neighbor just had a baby so I plan on surprising them with a meal.
To finish out our week I am making a LaBamba Casserole which has ground turkey, tomatoes and other Mexican ingredients. I have posted the recipe for the shells and LaBamba casserole. Will post pics of the dishes later.
Hoping to finally finish the pendant over the kitchen table. As usual that is taking far too long than expected. Oh and tonight and tomorrow here in Nashville are supposed to be filled with severe thunderstorms and possible tornadoes! Just call me Dorothy.



Stuffed Shells
4 Oz's (about 18-20) large pasta shells, cooked & drained
2 cups finely chopped cooked ham or turkey <-- the leftover ham from Easter is perfect for this recipe.
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 Tablespoons cold water
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 tablespoon margarine melted
1 teaspoons of Italian herbs
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Pour spaghetti sauce coating the bottom of the pan
Combine ham, ricotta cheese, salad dressing, Italian seasoning & onions mix lightly
Fill shells with ham mixture; place filled side up in a shallow baking dish.
Add 2 tablespoons cold water to dish; cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
Combine Parmesan cheese crumbs, parsley, and margarine, sprinkle over shells. Continue baking, uncovered, 5 minutes.

If you wish to microwave the dish . .omit the water. Cover dish and vent, microwave on high 7 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan mixture & let stand 5 minutes.
If you wish to freeze, omit the Parmesan mixture until you are ready to bake.

LaBamba Casserole
This recipe came from Cooking Light magazine, and is a crowd pleaser. I usually make this in two small pans and freeze a portion.

Hope everyone is enjoying spring like weather without the threat of tornadoes!