Ham and Cheese Loaf

Posted on by aurorameyer

 

Homemade Ham and Cheese Loaf

Ham and Cheese Loaf

My mom used to make this when my sister and I were little. It was one of our most favorite dishes. Apparently, it’s also pretty easy even if you make the bread from scratch, but let’s be honest the frozen works just as good and is so much less time-consuming!
Print Recipe
Servings 8 slices

Ingredients
  

  • 1 loaf Frozen bread dough thawed per package instructions and proofed
  • sliced deli ham as needed
  • slice cheddar cheese we get a block and slice it ourselves

Instructions
 

  • Roll out the bread dough flat.
  • Visually divide it vertically into thirds.
  • On the right-hand third cut diagonal lines using a knife. Repeat on the left-hand side.
  • Layer the ham about four slices thick and then layer the sliced cheese on top.
  • Braid the alternating the diagonal pieces over the ham and cheese.
  • Bake per the package instructions.
  • Let cook and slice

Notes

My opinion:
Just like mom used to make! Mine never looks as pretty as hers does, but it tastes just as good. I can't wait to introduce this to my daughter for school lunches in her future. Some people like to add a little mustard, but I'm a purist and like it plain.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Yum

Toddler Approved: Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice

Posted on by aurorameyer
Toddler Approved: Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice
Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice

My mom made a version of this when I was a kid and my sister and I recently reminisced about it. I requested the recipe from mom and was surprised at how easy it was to make. I was less surprised at how much Miss A loved it. She loves just about anything with rice.

Toddler Approved: Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup shredded Colby cheese use more if you like it cheesy
  • 2 cups cooked rice
  • 1 cup cut broccoli
  • 2 pre-cooked chicken breasts cubed or shredded
  • Additional shredded Colby on top
  • cup *1chicken broth
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice

My opinion:
Next time I’ll add onions and garlic and use two blocks of cheese, one mixed in and one to make a bechamel sauce (similar to this one). I’m just not a fan of cheddar cheese soup and broccoli cheese soup.

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice
Yum

Carbonara

Posted on by aurorameyer


We’ve put off trying this recipe for a while because it seemed complicated. That couldn’t be further from the truth! It was really very easy, though a bit temperamental. The original post cites Rachel Ray as the original creator as published in Woman’s Day magazine.

Ingredients:
1 box spaghetti (about a pound)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 lb pancetta, roughly chopped (we ended up using about 3 ounces because that’s what came in the package)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
5 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine (we used a pinot grigio)
3 large egg yolks
freshly grated Romano cheese (optional, but J swears it’s better with the cheese. Parmesan works too in a pinch)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (you’ll want to use more pepper than salt!)

Directions:
Boil the pasta according to the package directions in salted water. (You will need to reserve at least a cup of the pasta water for use later in the recipe!) While the pasta is boiling, heat a large skillet over medium heat (you;ll be adding the pasta to the skillet). Add the olive oil and pancetta to the warmed skillet. Brown  the pancetta for about two minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for up to three more minutes (remove or turn down the heat if the pancetta starts to burn). Add the wine and deglaze the pan. In a separate  bowl, beat the egg yolks and add 1/2 cup of the pasta water. According to the original recipe, adding the pasta water to the yolks tempers them so they don’t scramble. If you haven’t already drained the pasta, do so now. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet. Pour the egg mixture over the pasta. Toss to coat the pasta. Don’t cook the egg! Remove from heat. Add cheese, pepper and salt. Continue tossing the pasta until the egg mixture thickens and the pasta absorbs most of it. Serve immediately with extra cheese.

My opinion:
Salty and creamy, this is the perfect dinner for a fall evening. If you find the dish too salty, cut back on the added salt at the end. When reheating, make sure to use a little olive oil or reheat by covering the bottom of a pan with chicken stock or broth and adding the pasta. Otherwise, it dries out.