Country Ham And Asparagus Mini Muffins Food

INDIVIDUAL HAM CASSEROLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously spray 24 muffin cups (2 standard muffin tins) with cooking spray.
• Crack the eggs into a bowl; add the salt, black pepper and chili powder. Whisk until combined. Add the ham, Cheddar, bell peppers and onions and stir.
• With a measuring cup, scoop the mixture into the muffin cups. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until puffy and just barely set.
• Within a minute or two, the casseroles will start to flatten just a little bit -- this is normal! Run a knife along the edges of each muffin cup and lift the casseroles out of the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

COUNTRY HAM

Steps:

• Unwrap ham and scrub off any surface mold (if you hung in a sack for 6 months you'd have mold too). Carefully remove hock with hand saw. (If this idea makes you eye your first aid kit, ask your butcher to do it. But make sure you keep the hock, it's the best friend collard greens ever had.)
• Place ham in cooler and cover with clean water. (As long as it's not too dirty you can use what southerners call the "hose pipe"). Stash the cooler in the bushes. If it's summer, throw in some ice. If it's freezing out, keep the cooler inside. Change the water twice a day for two days turning the ham each time.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place ham in a large disposable turkey-roasting pan and add enough Dr. Pepper to come about halfway up the side of the ham. Add pickle juice if you've got it and tent completely with heavy-duty foil. Cook for 1/2 hour then reduce heat to 325 degrees F, and cook another 1 1/2 hours.
• Turn the ham over, insert an oven safe thermometer (probe-style is best) and cook another 1 1/2 hours, or until the deepest part of the ham hits 140 degrees F (approximately 15 to 20 minutes per pound total).
• Let rest 1/2 hour then slice paper-thin. Serve with biscuits or soft yeast rolls.
• Cooks note: Even after soaking, country ham is quite salty, so thin slicing is mandatory. If you're a bacon fan, however, cut a thicker (1/4-inch) slice and fry it up for breakfast.

MINI ITALIAN FRITTATAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Brush a standard 12-cup muffin tin with olive oil, including the top of the pan.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large (12-inch) sauté pan. Add the leeks and sauté for 3 minutes, until tender. Add the prosciutto and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, breaking it up with a fork. Add the spinach, tossing with tongs, then cover the pan and cook for 3 minutes, tossing once while it cooks, until the spinach is all wilted. Off the heat, stir in the basil and lemon juice and set aside for 5 minutes. Divide the mixture with tongs among the 12 muffin cups, leaving any liquid behind. Sprinkle the Fontina evenly on top.
• In a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, beat the eggs, half-and-half, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together with a fork. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the filling in each cup, filling the muffin cups to the top. Sprinkle each frittata with the Parmesan cheese.
• Bake the frittatas for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and lightly browned on top. If you insert a toothpick in the middle, they should feel firm. Cool for 5 minutes, remove with a small sharp knife onto a serving plate, and serve hot or warm.

ASPARAGUS HAM DINNER

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet, saute asparagus and yellow pepper in oil until crisp-tender. Add tomatoes and ham; heat through. Drain pasta; add to mixture. Stir in parsley and seasonings. Sprinkle with cheese.

OVERNIGHT ASPARAGUS STRATA

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring 8 cups water to a boil. Add asparagus; cook, uncovered, 2-3 minutes or just until crisp-tender. Drain and immediately drop into ice water. Drain and pat dry., Arrange six English muffin halves in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, cut side up. Trim remaining muffin halves to fill spaces. Layer with 1 cup cheese, asparagus, ham and red pepper. , In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt, mustard and pepper. Pour over top. Refrigerate, covered, overnight., Preheat oven to 375°. Remove strata from refrigerator while oven heats. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

BACON AND ASPARAGUS FRITTATA

Steps:

• In a 9- or 10-in. ovenproof skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1 Tbsp. drippings. Heat reserved drippings on medium-high. Add asparagus, onion and garlic; saute until onion is tender. Crumble bacon; set aside a third. In a large bowl, combine remaining bacon, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper. , Pour egg mixture into skillet; stir. Top with tomato, cheese and reserved bacon. Cover and cook over medium-low until eggs are nearly set, 10-15 minutes. Preheat broiler; place skillet 6 in. from heat. Broil until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

MUFFIN PAN FRITTATAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir asparagus, green bell pepper, and onion in the hot oil until softened, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Whisk eggs, milk, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl. Mix cooked vegetables and Cheddar cheese into egg mixture. Spoon about 1/4 cup mixture into each muffin cup.
• Bake in the preheated oven until frittatas are set in the middle and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

MINI QUICHES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cut 3 inches from the tip-ends of the asparagus; reserving remaining stalks for another use. Generously add salt to boiling water. Add asparagus and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes; Drain. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, heavy cream, eggs, yolk, and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Strain through a sieve into a medium bowl; set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out pate brisee to slightly less than 1/8-inch thick. Using a 2 3/4-inch round cutter, cut out 24 rounds. Fit rounds into a 24-cup nonstick mini muffin tin. If the pate brisee becomes too soft to work with, place in refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes. Divide half of the cheese, evenly between the lined cups. Top with ham. Divide milk mixture evenly between cups. Top each with 3 to 4 pieces of asparagus. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately remove quiches from muffin tin and transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

COUNTRY HAM AND ASPARAGUS MINI MUFFINS

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and butter until well blended.
• Stir in ¾ cup of the flour and the cornmeal.
• Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Lightly grease 18 miniature muffin cups and then preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Shape the dough into 18 balls.
• Press evenly into the bottom and up the sides of each muffin cup; set aside.
• In a small bowl, stir together the Swiss cheese and the remaining 1 tablespoon flour.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and cream.
• Stir in the Swiss cheese mixture and ham.
• Spoon evenly into the muffin cups.
• Bake 7 minutes.
• Top each muffin with an asparagus tip.
• Decrease oven temperature to 300 degrees.
• Cover with foil; bake 17 minutes, or until set.
• Serve warm.

COUNTRY HAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil.
• Set ham into the prepared roasting pan and pierce several times with a fork.
• Stir brown sugar, peach preserves, and mustard together in a bowl; spread over the ham. Cover the ham with a sheet of aluminum foil.
• Roast ham in preheated oven, basting regularly, for 90 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil cover and continue baking until hot in the center, 30 to 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 140 degrees F (60 degrees C).

ASPARAGUS-SOUR CREAM-MUFFINS

Steps:

• Toss asparagus with 1 tbs of the oil in a baking dish. Roast in the oven at 200°C/400°F for about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly, then cut asparagus into pieces (the lenth of half a finger should be just fine).
• Combine flour, baking powder, salt and pepper in a big bowl. Make a well in the centre.
• In a second bowl beat eggs lightly. Add sour cream and remaining oil. Pour into the well and mix until dry ingredients are just moistened (make sure not to overmix).
• Fold in asparagus.
• Fill dough into prepared muffin tins (well greased or paper-lined). If you like sprinkle with grated cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven at 200°C/400°F for 20 minutes or until slightly browned and tester comes out clean.

ASPARAGUS BRUNCH BREAD

Steps:

• Holding each asparagus spear at base and halfway up stalk, bend just until stalk snaps at natural breaking point. Pour water into large skillet to depth of 1 inch (2.5 cm); bring to boil. Arrange spears in 2 layers in water. Cover and cook for 2 minutes or until bright green and still crisp. Drain; chill under cold water. Drain; set aside on towels.
• Cut ham Into 1/4-inch (5 mm) wide strips; cut into about 1 -inch (2.5 cm) lengths to make strips. Thin end from green onion; halve stalk lengthwise and slice thinly crosswise. Set aside.
• In large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and butter; pour over flour mixture. Sprinkle with green onion and 3/4 cup (175 mL) of the cheese; stir with wooden spoon just until smooth.
• Spoon half of the batter into greased 9-inch (2.5 L) square cake pan, spreading over bottom. Arrange half of the asparagus in single layer over top. Sprinkle with ham.
• Spoon in remaining batter, spreading evenly. Arrange remaining asparagus over top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake in 375°F (190°C) oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until golden brown and cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes.
• Invert wire rack over pan. Holding both tightly together, invert pan to turn bread out onto rack. Remove pan. Invert serving platter onto bread. Holding rack and platter together, quickly invert. Remove rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Bread can be cooled, covered with plastic wrap and set aside for up to 4 hours.).

MINI PROSCIUTTO & ASPARAGUS FRITTATAS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease a 12-hole muffin tin and line each hole with a slice of prosciutto to cover the base and sides. Heat oil in a small frying pan and cook onion for 5 mins, until soft. Meanwhile, snap the tip ends off the asparagus and set aside. Finely slice the stalks and add to the onions when soft. Cook for 2-3 mins more, then remove and cool.
• Beat the eggs, milk and ¾ of the Parmesan together. Add some onion mix to each muffin hole. Divide over the egg mix, then top with the asparagus tip ends. Sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan and cook for 18-20 mins or until set.
• Allow to cool for a few mins then remove from tin and eat warm or cold.