My hubby and I are getting settled into our dream house and after three months, we decided to host our very first dinner party. He has a rather large family, spread out between several states; therefore, all of us only gather twice or so, each year. Because Christmas is so crazy, this clan celebrates Christmas in January. Strategically Planning the Party In the past, hosting a large party would totally stress me out for weeks! However, for this event, I was gonna make sure things were different. I want to share with you a few things which made my life, so much easier, leading up to AND the day of…
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5 Recipes to Get Rid of Leftover Holiday Ham
Did you make a holiday ham for Christmas? Do you plan to make a ham for New Year’s dinner? You are going to have some leftover ham at some point. Don’t throw it away! Strategically plan dinners and snacks, with JoAnn’s Food Bites, and you can rid your fridge of that leftover ham. Inspirational Holiday Ham I was perusing through a Facebook Foodie Forum and stumbled upon a home chef’s post, which read, in most part… “I need inspirational recipes to use up all the leftover ham I have from the holiday.” Which inspired me to do some brainstorming and come up with at least FIVE ways to use leftover…
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Simple Asian Dinner: Pork and Rice
This simple Asian dinner is my substitute for Chinese take out. Some “fast food” Chinese is loaded in MSG, which I try to avoid. Although easy, this Pork and Rice dish is filling and a great option for a weeknight meal. It can be done in only one pot and one skillet, for less clean up. What is Monosodium glutamate? MSG is the salt based compound used as a flavor enhancer in dishes needing a more intense “meaty” taste. Although deemed safe by the Food and Drug Administration, MSG has been linked to severe headaches, bloating and general discomfort. Found in many processed foods, it can be harmful for those…
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St. Patrick’s Day – Bangers and Mash
Origination of the dish Bangers and Mash Thought to be an Irish dish, Bangers & Mash originates throughout the British Isles, a group of islands including Great Britain, Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. In native British terms, the “bangers” portion of the dish has been linked to the World War I meat shortage. Sausages were produced with such a high water content, they popped under high heat cooking methods. Modern sausages do not contain such a high water content. Construction of Bangers & Mash Bangers & Mash can be constructed using any type of sausage you like. Traditional dishes are made of pork or beef, or a Cumberland…
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Simple Potato and Sausage Hash
I LOVE POTATOES, so much so, you would think I was part Irish. Around 1845, approximately one million people died in Ireland due to a potato disease knows as “blight.” Some historians believe the pathogen originated in Mexico, where it had already been found, then spread to crops in the United States, making its way to Ireland, via passenger ships sailing from America to Ireland. Because of Ireland’s deep dependency on the potato, it is estimated half the entire country’s potato crop was destroyed. There are over 50 varieties of potatoes registered with the National Potato Council, however, China leads the world in potato production, almost three times more than…
