Ham and Pasta Salad

I wanted to make a pesto salad, and realized that I forgotten to pick up more fresh basil at the store. Instead of completely scrapping the idea, I searched through my fridge, and was pleased to find that I still had a few basil leaves left. Basically, this is a great way to use up some leftovers when you have a bit of this and a bit of that.



Also, if you're good at multitasking the "in the kitchen" time only takes about 5 minutes (to chop veggies, start the noodles and grill the ham), then a quick 2 minute pasta drain and mix together.

This really can be tweaked to your own spicing taste, but this is what I used. Also, the ham can be left out, or substituted with chopped salami or pepperoni.

What you need:
1/2 box Bow-tie Pasta
4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A handful of Black Olives, cut into thirds
3 large Roma (Italian) Tomatoes
1/2 medium sized Onion, chopped
1/3 cup of Parmesan Cheese
1 pinch of Thyme
2/3 cup of chopped Fresh Basil, or 1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons of the dried seasoning
1 teaspoon of Garlic Powder (or 4-5 cloves, chopped and grilled with the ham)
2-3 tablespoons of Pine Nuts
3 thick slices of cooked Ham
Salt and Pepper to taste (approximately a teaspoon of each).]

Step 1. Start to cook your noodles in a pot of water with a little salt.

Step 2. Chop the onion, tomatoes, olives, ham and basil.

Step 3. Grill the Ham pieces (takes about a minute or two).

Step 4. After your pasta is finished cooking, drain it.

Step 5. In a large mixing bowl, mix the pasta, veggies, ham and spices. Add the olive oil and stir to coat the pasta well.



Let this chill in the fridge for about an hour, and enjoy! :)

Grizelle's Easy LAN Party Quiche

Need an idea of what food to make for your next LAN Party? Here's a Grizelle original that will help when the munchies hit all your guests.

This recipe does take longer than a typical flight path, and really is suited for entertaining people. At the bottom of the post, Grizelle has included easy modifications for preparing a single, large quiche (as pictured). This will save you time in preparation, if that is your concern.



Remember to prepare this recipe ahead of time. Bake it while your guests are setting up their computers, so that it's nice and toasty when you serve them.

What you need:
4 Eggs
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Half & Half
1 bunch of Scallions, chopped fine (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup diced Cooked Ham - about 1/4 inch pieces (I used the Hormel Black Label brand.)
1 cup shredded Swiss Cheese (I like the Amish variety.)
1 package Pillsbury All Ready refrigerated Pie Dough (2 pie shells)
Non-stick muffin tins

Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350, and unroll your pie dough. Cut circles in the dough with a biscuit cutter; this is for the quiche crusts. You can get 6-8 circles per pie dough sheet. I took the scraps and rolled them out to get a few more.

**Tip** If you don't have a biscuit cutter, use a large rimmed cup or washed tuna can (they are the perfect size), and cut out the circles. If you're using a cup, make sure that the rim is large enough to produce circle that will fill the bottom and sides of a regular sized muffin tin.

Step 2. Place a dough circle in each ungreased muffin cup, and gently press to cover the bottom, and about a half inch or so up the sides.

Step 3. Place about a tablespoon of the diced ham in each cup. Sprinkle with about a half teaspoon of the chopped scallions, and a tablespoon of the grated Swiss cheese.

Step 4. Lightly beat the eggs, and add milk & half & half. Stir until smoothly blended.

Step 5. Carefully pour the egg mixture over the filling in each cup. Do not pour higher than the dough - you may have to wait a bit and add some more as it has to trickle down. So go back to your comp, and make sure you haven't been ganked.

Step 6. Bake on middle rack in preheated 350 degree F oven for approximately 25 minutes. The quiches will puff up to fill the cups, and will be golden brown on top. A knife inserted should come out clean when it is fully set.

Step 7. Gently remove the quiches using a heat resistant spatula, and place them on a plate to serve.

This recipe made 16 quiches using regular sized muffin tins. You can use smaller or larger tins if you want, but you will have to play around with the amount of dough for the circles, and adjust the cooking time.

If you are concerned the quiches are going to get too brown before they are done, place a piece of aluminum foil loosely over the top for about the first half of the baking time.

For a large Quiche version:
If you want to make one big quiche, simply press one entire pie crust sheet in the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch pie pan. Spread your scallions, ham, and cheese evenly over the crust, and slowly pour the whole egg mixture over the top. Bake at 350 F, for about 30 minutes. Then test it with a knife same as the mini quiches. Just cut into wedges to serve.



Grizelle says, "I made these minis for an office brunch, and they were completely devoured!"

Kim'Jael's Stuffed Chicken Cordon Bleu

Melted Swiss, and a thick slice of ham embedded in a chicken breast; baked to warm and gooey perfection. This is a classic dish that is really simple to make. It makes me think of leveling outside of Stormwind. All the little chickens, pigs, and cows walking around, never knowing that I would hit 'em with my mace. Mmm, they sure were tasty!



You can serve it with a cream sauce or by itself. The breadcrumbs can be a little dry so I do recommend preparing a sauce. If you don't like the creamy sauces, you can try this with chicken gravy, but use sparingly as that will drown out the flavor of the chicken.

The cream sauces for the Cordon Bleu are usually pretty simple. Use a base of heavy cream, a little butter (1-2 tablespoons), and then are seasoned with onions (or shallots). I like to add a little garlic, and some fresh chopped parsley.

What you need:
2 Chicken Breasts
3 slices of Swiss Cheese
2 thick slices of Ham
1 Egg
Breadcrumbs to coat

Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350. While this is heating you have 2 options with your chicken.

Option A. Butterfly the chicken breast (slice it open, but do not cut all the way through, so that it resembles butterfly wings). This option will allow you to easily stuff the breast.

Option B. With a meat hammer pound the chicken breast to about a 1/4 inch height. This option will allow you to wrap the thinned breast around the Ham and Swiss. If you are serving to company this option has the visual appeal.

Step 2. Stuff or wrap your chicken around the ham and Swiss.

Step 3. Quickly beat your egg, and dip the stuffed chicken. In a separate bowl, add the breadcrumbs. Dip your egg-coated chicken into the breadcrumbs, coating the surface.

Step 4. Lay the chicken onto an oven-safe pan (coat with foil for easy cleanup).

Step 5. Bake the chicken for 35-40 minutes. To make sure that your chicken is cooked, jab it with a fork. If the juice is clear, then you're good. If the juice is pink, cook it for another 5-7 minutes, then check it again.



Enjoy with some wine! (As long as you're of age that is.) ;)

Nesingwary Stromboli

Okay, I figured that we had to come up with a recipe to use all the animals from the Nesingwary quest chains. I mean really, I cannot even count how many creatures I've killed for those guys on all my toons.

I must say that they sure are tasty as a Stromboli!



This Stromboli was made by a friend, and was delicious.

What you need:
6-8 slices of Ham (Black Forest Ham tastes awesome in this.)
10 slices of Salami
6 Slices of Provolone
1/2-1 lb Seasoned and browned ground beef (Season it like you would a meatball.)
Spicy Brown Mustard
**Optional: A little Parmesan Cheese and/or Mozzarella to top Stromboli
Pizza dough (homemade or store bought)

Dipping Sauce: A thick tomato sauce goes great with this!

Step 1. Season and brown your ground beef. This will take about 15 minutes on medium heat. Just stir to flip the meat occasionally.

Step 2. Preheat the oven to 350, and roll out your dough. Smear a little mustard on the surface. Leave about an inch of space from the edges, so that it doesn't squish out.

Step 3. Line with your meats. Check the image at the top of this entry if you're confused.

Step 3. Add the cooked ground beef.

Step 4. Roll your Stromboli. Think of a jelly roll, replicate this idea. Pinch the edges together. Brush with a little olive oil, and add the cheese topping.

Step 5. In an oven-safe pan, bake at 350 for approximately 25-35 minutes. When the Stromboli crust is nice and golden brown, it is finished.

Let cool for about 5 minutes before slicing.


Similar Recipe Ideas to Try: Goodlee's Monster Stromboli, Summerfest Spinach Calzone, Pepperoni Calzone, Sausage and Peppers Calzone, Nesingwary Stromboli.

Grizzly Frontier Special! Aka Western Style Omelet

The incredibly edible egg gone western! When a cold meal won't cut it, eggs offer quick protein replenishment. In about 5 minutes you can enjoy this creation.



What you need:
3 eggs
1/4-1/3 of a Green Bell Pepper chopped
1/4 medium sized onion chopped
2 Slices of Ham (thickly sliced from the deli—approximately 1/4 inch thick) chopped into cubes.
1 teaspoon of olive oil
1 slice or 2 pinches of shredded cheddar or Pepperjack cheese (optional)
**salt and pepper to taste

Step 1. Heat your pan when you're are beating the eggs (add a small splash of milk or water to your eggs while you beat them).

Step 2. Grill the ham and veggies in the olive oil.

Step 3. Add the grilled ham and veggies to the eggs. Beat a few times so that they are more evenly distributed into the eggs.

Step 4. Turn the heat down to medium. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and let the first side cook. Flip. If you want to try with a little cheese, add this now to the cooked side and cover the pan to melt the cheese.

Do not leave the lid on for more than a minute or two, or the condensation can make your eggs a little watery.

Step 4. When the bottom side of your omelet is cooked, use the spatula to fold the omelet in half and remove from the pan.

Like it spicy? Add some cracked red pepper to give this omelet a bite, or a little cayenne pepper to make it roar!



More Breakfast Ideas: Nubcakes! Aka Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes, Blueberry Nubcakes! Elwynn Forest Lumberjack Special, aka Crepes by Randalflagg, Kiethras's Breakfast Tubers, Sausage and Eggs, Grizzly Frontier Special! Aka Western Style Omelet, Simple Fruits, Great Taste! Telaari Grape Salad, Tundra Berry Salad, Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Sandwich, Curiously Tasty Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Omelet Sammich! How to Cook Perfect Bacon, Brazilian Puss in Boots, by Cygnusbr, Mmm Coffee!