Ham and Spaghetti Casserole | Easy Ham Casserole Recipe

Here's a family favorite easy and quick skillet supper pasta casserole recipe for a weeknight using ham steak, canned stewed tomatoes and spaghetti. It's pretty inexpensive to make, and I like to keep the canned ingredients on-hand for a hurry-up dinner .  

This is an easy way to use up leftover ham from your Holiday dinners - Easter or Christmas!

Easy Quick Night Supper

My mother-in-law was Irish and never cooked spaghetti and meat sauce. If my husband and his siblings wanted Italian pasta, they had to order it out!  This is my mother-in-law's version of pasta that we fondly refer to as "Irish Spaghetti Casserole."  It works well using either leftover ham and then use the ham bone to make pea soup!  You can also use canned ham or a ham steak in this casserole recipe.

It's even easier to make if you do OAMC freezer cooking. I've been putting up quite a few make-ahead freezer mixes to simplify mealtime preparation. Here's one of the ham meal starter mixes that I put together using a freezer recipe from The Family Homestead eBook cookbook.

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Easy cleanup with Handmade Kitchen Dishcloths from Moomettes Crochet Shop!

Ham and Spaghetti Casserole

1 ham steak, cut into cubes
2 cans (16 oz.) stewed tomatoes (or 1 can stewed tomatoes, 1 can regular tomato sauce)
1 large green pepper, seeded and cut into cubes
2 - 3 tbl. cooking oil
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan cheese, to taste
1 lb. cooked spaghetti pasta

n a large sided frying pan, add oil, and saute cut up ham steak until golden brown.
Add cut peppers and saute until tender.
Add stewed tomatoes, (including the juice).
Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Cook spaghetti according to package directions separately.
Drain and add to ham mixture. You may not want to add all at once so as not to use up all the juice.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add parmesan cheese if desired.
Serve with crusty garlic bread.

© Frugal New England Kitchen

Split Pea Soup | Ham Pea Soup Recipe | French Canadian Pea Soup

Nothing warms the belly on a chilly day like a bowl of old fashion Pea Soup!

When I want comfort food I think of my Nana's Pea Soup.  My Nana made it the old fashion French Canadian way, using a ham bone.  This is a great soup to use up leftover ham after Easter, or a Sunday Dinner Ham or Ham Shoulder Bone for extra flavor.

Great way to use up leftover ham from Easter!

This pea soup can be made using either green or yellow peas.

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Easy clean up in the kitchen with Handmade Cotton Dish Cloths from Moomettes Crochet Shop!

My Nana's French Canadian Split Pea Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

                1   (1 lb.) bag of split peas, rinsed well (green or yellow peas)
                1   meaty ham bone
                2   qts. water
                1   onion, coarsely chopped
                2   -3 carrots, pared (optional)
                2   -3 stalks of celery (optional)
                    pepper to taste
                 

  Preparation:

               Combine all ingredients in large pot.  Bring to a boil.
                Simmer slowly for 3-4 hours.  Discard any bones -
               leave chunks of ham.  Refrigerate.  Reheat and
               serve hot with additional pepper.  Croutons -
               optional.

If someone will give you a ham bone, return the favor with a pot of split pea soup!




© Frugal New England Kitchen

Pineapple Sunshine Cake Recipe | Cake Mix | Easy Desserts

Now here's an easy dessert that just screams summer!  The best thing about it is that cake made with pineapple reminds me of well, warm weather, palm trees and the ocean!

We have warm weather (sometimes) and the ocean here in New England, but sadly, no palm trees.  Those are a Southern thang.  Southerners are known for their fabulous sheet cakes, but we Northerners can bake them too.  Sheet cakes are terrific for backyard BBQs, Pot Luck Suppers, Church Suppers, Housewarming, Brunch, any Holiday dessert, or just to snack on, or for after dinner dessert.

Check out my Picnic Blueberry Cake recipe too !

Sunshine Pineapple Cake

My mother-in-law's favorite cake was Coconut Cake - actually it was a white cake with coconut frosting.  My kids have grown to love it and look forward to when I bring one along.  So, I've adapted and combined the two, and turned this Pineapple Cake into a Pineapple Cake with a Pineapple Coconut frosting!  You can even turn it into a Pina Colada Cake to make it taste as if you're in the islands !

I made this one for Easter by adding food coloring into the coconut for grass and texture, and decorating with Cadbury Eggs (that's why it looks somewhat greenish.)

You can decorate it however you wish, or just leave the frosting plain white, it will still be delicious!

Wear a Handmade Face Mask from Moomettes when out grocery Shopping! 

Easy clean up with Handmade Cotton Dish Cloths from Moomettes Crochet !

Cake:
1 box yellow cake mix (I usually use Duncan Hines)
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil (I used vegetable oil)
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple with juice
Frosting:
1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed
1 small box instant vanilla pudding (I like Royal if I can find it)
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple with juice
Unsweetened Flaked Coconut, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, oil, and 1 can of crushed pineapple with the juice. Mix well.
Pour into prepared baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

In a medium sized bowl, fold together whipped topping, box of vanilla pudding, and 1 can crushed pineapple with the juice. Spread over the top of cooled cake. Top with coconut  (Coconut can be tinted for any occasion.)
Enjoy!

© Frugal New England Kitchen