Eggs benedict...
Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches
Ham salad.
And finally black bean soup.
Linda C

Your freezer! Save it until you yearn for it. The salt content is high so you're better off not eating days of it. Ask me how I know!

I agree with Ellen, I'd freeze some. However, I do have a pretty decent ham hash recipe from Penzey's Spices. I'd probably leave out the dill, since I'm not wild about it, but the rest of the family likes it. I also used home canned chicken stock in place of the ham stock, since I didn't have any, and I think it cut the saltiness a bit.

Ham Hash
(penzey's spices)

2 Cups cubed ham
3 Cups cubed potatoes (3 medium potatoes)
1 small minced onion (1/2 Cup)
1 TB. olive oil
1/2-1 tsp. LEMON-PEPPER SEASONING
1/2-1 tsp. DILL WEED
1/2 Cup ham stock, page 39 (water can be used if you don't have stock, but the hash won't be quite as rich)

Cut ham into bite-sized pieces, peel and dice potatoes, mince onion. In a large cast iron or nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add onions, cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add potatoes, cook another 2 minutes, stirringÂdon't worry if things start to stick a bit. Add ham, sprinkle lemon-pepper on top, stir to coat, cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle DILL WEED on top, pour ham stock or water over the hash, stir quickly to coat, cover, reduce heat to low, cook 15 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove cover and stir, cover again. If liquid isn't simmering, turn the heat up a bit, if it's boiling, reduce heat a touch. After 15 minutes, the potatoes will be very tender and the hash will be done. Turn the heat off and leave covered until ready to serve. Serve with toast and fresh fruit.

Serves: 4-6
Prep. time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Annie

Make a "Meal In a Loaf"! If you like Cuban sandwiches, you'll love this, and it's easy! I got this from Katie last year and we loved it.

Meal in a Loaf
Recipe By : Katie
Serving Size : 8

4 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 packages yeast
1 cup water
1/4 cup dijon mustard (I used an extra 1/4 cup to spread on dough)
2 tablespoons butter
1 - 2 cups chopped cooked ham -- (8 oz.)
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese -- or cheddar
1/2 - 1 cup chopped dill pickle
1 egg - beaten

Set aside 1 cup flour. Melt butter in a 2 cup, microwave safe measuring cup. Add water (hot tap is fine) to butter then add yeast and sugar. Mix well and let sit to activate the yeast. Mix water mixture into 3 cups of flour then add mustard and salt. Mix in enough reserved flour to make a soft dough and knead 4 minutes. *OR* Throw everything in the bread machine.

On a greased baking sheet, roll dough to 14"x12". Spread extra mustard down the center of dough, sprinkle ham, cheese, and pickle down 1/3 of dough length. Make cuts from filling to edges of dough at 1" intervals. Bring strips from opposite sides of filling together, twist, and place at an angle across filling. Cover. Let rise until almost double (about 1 hour). Brush loaf with egg. Bake @ 375° for 25 minutes or until browned (mine took about 45 minutes). Serve warm.

If you want to see a picture of this, I made a post about it on my Blog. Check it out!

Here is a link that might be useful: Meal In A Loaf

This might not be a meal for the hot time of the year, but I love to cook navy beans with the ham bone. Add celery, carrots, and hot sauce along with plenty of water in your crock pot and cook until tender. Pull out the bone and cut off the meat into small bites. You can use Great Northerns or Lima Beans if you prefer.

Thanks so much for the replies. Truth is, while I was busy entertaining last weekend, I barely ate any of the ham myself, so I'm not tired of it. It's something we don't have often enough for DH, so he's happy to see it in various renditions. Also, my freezer is pretty packed right now...

The hash recipe looks great, and I have all the spices from my maiden voyage to Penzey's a few months ago.

DH would go crazy for the meal in a loaf. He loves things like that. It looks a little tricky, but I'd like to give it a try. I'm out of dill pickles, though - do you think I could substitute drained dill pickle relish?

Now that we're staying up at the lake (miles from civilization..) I try not to make extra trips to the grocery store for just an item or two.

Amck, I think the relish would be fine. Go for it! The dough can be mixed up in a big bowl by hand, no need for a Kitchenaid mixer. Or, try it with premade bread or pizza dough that you can pick up at the store (if convenient).

gardengrl - Tried the Meal In a Loaf last night and it was wonderful! I was a bit concerned when I read the directions about weaving the dough from the strips, but your link that included a picture made it clear how to do it.

The dough was easy to work with (I actually have my KA mixer up here & used the dough hook to knead) and I was particularly impressed with the taste & texture. I've had similar sandwiches where the bread is heavy and tasteless - basically just a delivery system for the filling. That wasn't the case with this. The bread's texture was good, and the flavor was savory, not bland.

I used Gruyere for the cheese and drained some "Wickles" relish, which is more dill than sweet, in place of the pickles.

The house smelled great and it looked and tasted delicious. This is a keeper.

Amck, awesome! I'm so glad you liked it. It sounds complicated, but you're right, it's really just a big strudel-type vehicle for the good stuff! This reminds me that I haven't made this in a while and I have a bag of frozen, cut-up ham in the freezer.

I think it also lends itself to experimentation with other meats/fillings.

gardengrl, that recipe looks great! It looks like the type of thing that's easy to make but that impresses people. Just one question. Does it only have one rising?

i freeze the slices into 2 person serving sizes enough for a couple of sandwiches or dinner for two. i need to watch my salt intake/ blood pressure.

lowspark - in case gardngrl doesn't see your question - There was only 1 rise. You roll out the dough, add the fillings, do the weaving to secure, then let rise, covered, for 1 hr., paint w/ egg wash, then bake.

Note: I only needed the 1 hour for rising as the recipe indicated. But mine was fully cooked & browned in 30 minutes. lowspark said her's took 45, so I'd suggest checking in on it after 25 mins.

OH, I am so glad I checked this thread:) Thanks gardengirl and Katie - cutting and pasting the Meal in a Loaf - sounds awesome...and so does that lakehouse, amck!

Thanks amck!

Here's a tomato and ham pie that I make every 4th of July We've had it for breakfast, it also makes a nice dinner.

Ham and Tomato Pie

Ingredients
1 (8-oz.) package diced cooked ham
1/2 cup sliced green onions (about 4 onions)
1 (9-inch) frozen unbaked pie shell
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 medium plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 large egg
1/3 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Garnishes: fresh basil sprigs, tomato slices
Preparation
1. Sauté ham and green onions in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat 5 minutes or until ham is brown and any liquid evaporates.
2. Brush bottom of pie shell evenly with mustard; sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Spoon ham mixture evenly over cheese, and top with single layer of sliced tomatoes.
3. Beat egg and half-and-half with a fork until blended; pour over tomatoes. Sprinkle evenly with basil, pepper, and remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
4. Bake on lowest oven rack at 425° for 20 to 23 minutes or until lightly browned and set. Cool on a wire rack 20 minutes. Cut into wedges to serve; garnish, if desired.
Yield
Makes 4 to 6 servings