Christmas Ham turned into Yummy Lunch Soup!

I decided to have a Christmas Ham for Christmas day and planned it out so we’d have enough ham for sandwiches, but also this soup that I usually make with chicken. The beauty of the recipe is that it’s called “Ham, Chicken, or Turkey Bean Soup”. So you can use any leftover meat that you have to make this soup.

Today it’s 18° outside, so this soup was perfect for our lunch today. It was super easy to make since I had a the ingredients ready to go.

Here’s the recipe:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 red onion, chopped

3/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary or 1/4 dried rosemary

2 cups chicken stock

2 cans (14.5 oz) white beans

1 cup canned chopped tomatoes

salt and pepper

3 cups lightly packed baby spinach

2 cups leftover meat

 

1. In a stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat just until glistening. Add the chopped onion and rosemary, and cook until the onion is soft about 5 minutes.

2. Add the chicken stock, 2 cups of water, the beans and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Season with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. *Note* I use way more salt. Reduce the heat, and simmer, skimming occasionally, until the soup has thickened slightly, about 20 minutes.

3. Stir the spinach into the soup, and cook just until it wilts, about 1 minute. Divide the chopped ham (or whatever kind of meat you are using) among four bowls, and ladle the hot soup on top. *Note* I usually just stir the meat in to get it all mixed in right before serving.

Homemade Focaccia Bread/Sandwiches

I actually made this lunch several weeks ago, but haven’t had the time to blog about it. My husband Joe loves it when I make homemade bread. I used to bake alot more BB (Before Bailey) and since I have Mondays off, I spent all morning making bread and coming up with sandwich ingredients to match it

I always use a Martha Stewart recipe when making Focaccia. I looked it up online, but can’t seem to find the exact one that I got out of a MS Living magazine a number of years ago. So I’ll type it out here:

Focaccia

Serves 12

This Italian flatbread is best eaten the day it is made but will stay fresh for up to four days when wrapped well in plastic and stored in the refrigerator.

1 envelope dry yeast (1/4 ounce)

Pinch of sugar

2 1/2 cups warm water

4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for bowl and baking sheet

6 to 7 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon coarse salt

1. Sprinkle yeast and sugar over 1/2 cup warm water in a large bowl. Stir to dissolve, and let stand 10 minutes, until the mixture is foamy. Add remaining 2 cups warm water, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 cups flour, and salt; stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Gradually add 4 cups flour, using your hands once mixture becomes too thick to stir. If dough is still too wet, add just enough of the remaining cup of flour until it is no longer sticky. {Note – I use my KitchenAid mixer dough hook to mix.}

2. Turn out dough onto a clean work surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, using any remaining flour, if needed. {This is where I add Italian Seasonings to the dough}. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 425°. Transfer dough to an oiled 11×17 inch rimmed baking sheet; stretch to fill sheet, and press to form an even thickness. If dough shrinks back, cover with a damp towel, and let rest 10 minutes before proceeding. Once dough fills sheet, cover with a damp kitchen towel; let rise again until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.

4. Using your fingers, make dimplelike indentations all over surface of dough. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil; spread with your hands to coat evenly. {This is when I also sprinkle with Rosemary.}

5. Place baking sheet in oven. Toss a cup of ice cubes into bottom of oven to create steam (if using a gas oven, place a small baking dish of ice water on oven floor). {Note – I rarely do this.}

Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes, rotating pan halfway through; avoid opening oven any more than necessary or the steam will escape. Transfer focaccia to a wire rack to cool.

 

Sandwich:

 

 

 

 

Fit and Fresh Bento – Mango Style

I packed my lunch today in my Fit and Fresh lunch container. I needed room for the mango that I chopped up. I adore mangoes. I want to eat so many mangoes that my body grows more of them. Gross. Anyway – I know – you’re saying “Like, why don’t you totally like marry a mango then if you love them so much?” And I would say – Get out of the 80’s inner dialogue voice.

I have the whole “Lunchables” type of lunch going on in the top. Ham, cheese, triscuits. Mini cowtails for the sweets.

Carb Goodness Bento

Mobile Upload Pic

Sorry the picture isn’t the best, it’s from my Blackberry. Triscuits and cheddar cheese, mini cow tails candies, and a wrap with ham and cheese. Lots of cheese, lots of carbs. Oh well.