Ham Recipes for the Harried Holidays

Snow started to fall last week in Wisconsin. Rudolph has made his annual broadcast appearance. And the grocer’s cases are piled high with Hams of all shapes and sizes. Yup. The Holidays are definitely here. It makes sense to plan some simple and easy meals for the busy weeks ahead.
While it has the reputation of a fussy dish,  Ham is really the original home meal replacement . Most Hams available at a grocery store come fully cooked. Given Ham’s ease of preparation – just pop it in an oven to reheat – there are many possibilities. Use it for a quick meal or ingredient in a soup, for example, which cooks while you’re engaged in holiday pursuits. Here are a few favorites to get you through the harried holiday season:

• gThankYou! to Maria Rodale for sharing this Pennsylvania Dutch ham, string bean and potato soup at the Huffington Post.
• Leave it to Ina Garten to add class to a classic with this Ham and Cheese in Puff Pastry. gThankYou! Ina and the Food Network.
• The Famous Cuban Ham Sandwich with a gThankYou! to the folks at GroupRecipes.com.
• gThankYou! to Laura at Real Mom Kitchen for this fantastic Farmhouse Ham Chowder.
• And, finally, nothing says comfort in a bowl like Delicious Ham and Potato Soup with a gThankYou! to AllRecipes.com.

Happiness is  returning home from sledding, shopping or Wassailing to a pre-made meal.