ham Archives - Joanna Anastasia

Even though I hate getting up early, then as soon as I’m in the kitchen making my first coffee, I feel like morning is my favourite moment of the day. I love looking at the morning sun soaking the table, and my full of energy kids around it (unless of course they are screaming/whining or crying because they just can’t wait one more minute for food).

And although I’m not usually in a mood to cook before 9am, I do like to change our routine a little and prepare something different from time to time. So here is a couple of my favourite ways to start a day right:

This is one of the I- seen-it-somwere-on-Pinterest recipes. And I found it to be a perfect rainy day/cold morning pick me up! You can start preparing it in the morning and I really suggest serving some salsa on the side!

Bacon & eggs cups :

White bread slices
Cooked bacon
Eggs

Place white bread slices in a greased muffin pan. Bake on 350F for around 5 minutes. Then add bacon, and pour one egg. Bake until the egg is done ( around 15 minutes).

Now, don’t get me wrong, but in general I think that a French tost is not worth the fuss. I never liked the overly soaked and egg tasting French tost. Nobody does, right? But this one, made with real French baguette and vanilla extract, is just perfect, and definitely worth the time ( 10 minutes of preparation).

Simple French toast:

1/3 French baguette
3 eggs
1/3 cup of milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter

Mix milk with eggs and vanilla, and pour it over the baguette cut in slices (use a deep bowl) and let it soak for at least 5 minutes. Melt butter, and bake it until golden on a pan or a skillet. Serve warm with maple sirup and berries.

And this is another Pinterest inspired recipe. I did change it a little though: I was hoping that red pepper will desapere among the ham and cheese, and that it’ll be easier for my baby to eat it (and yes, she did notice it, and no, she didn’t eat any).

But the rest of us really liked them, and they are a great lunch option too!

Breakfast muffins :

4 eggs
1/2 cup ham cut in slices
1/2 cup old cheddar
1/3 cup red pepper cut in pieces

Mix it all together, and pour in to greased muffin tin. Bake on 360F for around 25 minutes.

And if yore just plain tired and don’t feel like cooking, you can always upgrade the plain milk and ceral :

Chocolate granola:
1/2 cup granola
1/4 cup chocolate chunks
1 cup Greek yoghurt

And that is my favourite breakfast!

What are your recipes for a breakfast out of the ordinary?

Today I’ll make all of your busy moms life easier: here is a slow cooker ham recipe that can feed your family for 3 days in 3 different ways! I think you must be applauding me now in front of your screens, aren’t you? 😉 And don’t get scared by the beer being in one of the ingredients: after slowly cooking for 6 hours there will be no alcohol left! Just a delicious melt-in-your-mouth slow cooked ham.

On the first day serve it in a old school comforting way: baby potatoes (or mashed) and a green salad or green beans. On a second day serve it with my super easy ratatouille. And on a third make a simplified butternut squash curry with the slow cooked ham cubes.

What you’ll need for the slow cooked ham :

Light Beer
1/4 cup Maple syrup
2 table spoons Dijon mustard
Water ( as much as you’ll need to fill the slow cooker up to the top so it covers the ham)
Ham( big piece- around 5 pounds)
Slow cooker

Mix all of the liquids with mustard directly insight of the slow cooker, add ham, cower and cook on high for 6 hours. (Easy breezy, I loved this part!) Serve with baby potatoes and green salad.

The easy Ratatouille :

1 medium eggplant
4 carrots
2 bell peppers
1 medium tomato ( without skin).
Garlic
One teaspoon herbs of Provence
Olive oil
+ leftover meet

Cut your veggies in cubes. Cook them on medium heat with one table spoon of olive oil,herbs, pressed garlic and meat. Enjoy your easy dinner :).

The Butternut squash curry

1 1/2 cup butternut squash cubes
3 medium potatoes
1/2 cup celery
1 big onion

1 teaspoon grounded good quality allspice
1/2 teaspoon grounded Cumin
+ leftover meet

Cut the veggies and cook until soft with olive oil, spices and leftover slow cooked ham cut in cubes. I hope you’ll find it as delicious as we did!

And now, I need to make another batch of this ham :).

ham

Breakfast out of the ordinary

One slow cooker ham and three nights of easy dinners.