Ham and Shrimp Chowder

I'm still using up that leftover holiday ham! I based this recipe on my own recipe for clam chowder, which I noticed isn't up here on Stealth Cooking. I do promise to fix that as soon as I make it again. This chowder comes together quickly and is one of the recipes in the fix-it-quick category. Any leftovers will keep for several days in the frig, simply getting better as the flavors meld. However, it never lasts that long for me. 

Ingredients: 

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion

1 tsp minced garlic

1/4 cup thinly sliced celery

1/2 cup sliced carrots

1 cup diced potatoes

2 cups low sodium chicken stock

1 cup chopped ham (I used leftover sliced ham)

1/2 cup shrimp (cooked or uncooked shrimp)

1 bay leaf, optional

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 cup fat free milk or milk alternative

up to 1 cup water

up to 1/4 cup potato flakes

sea salt to taste

Directions: 

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots and cook for several minutes, just until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add the potatoes, the chicken stock, ham, shrimp, bay leaf and parsley and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Add the milk and cook until the liquid is hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the potato flakes to thicken the soup stock. Add more potato flakes if you like you soup thick. If the mixture gets too thick, add some water to thin it out. Taste the soup. It may not need additional salt, as both the ham and shrimp are salty.

Serves 2, easily doubled.

Stealthy Cooking Tip:  Using leftover fully cooked ham and fully cooked shrimp make this recipe very quick and easy. This is just a quick chop and add to the pot recipe. Add a green salad for an easy lunch or dinner. 

Buckwheat Crepes with Ham and Asparagus

Crepes or Galettes - the name is interchangeable in my book. Either name defines a thin pancake filled with either savory or sweet goodness. These savory dinner pancakes come with a mind to use up some of the ham slices that fill my freezer after the holidays. That's a good thing; I do love ham. These are easy to make, and don't require the fussiness of making them ahead of time, a 24-hour resting period, or rewarming. I'm happy with how these turned out, and hope you will be happy with yours, too.

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup buckwheat flour

3 heaping Tbs Measure 4 Measure flour or whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

2/3 cup milk alternative, I used unsweetened soy milk, or milk

butter

3-4 fried eggs

1/4 cup grated yellow cheese, I used Daiya dairy free cheese

15-20 stalks asparagus, trimmed

6-8 slices ham

Directions: Mix the flours together with the salt. Add the egg and milk, then beat until frothy. Add more milk if needed to make a thin pancake batter. Heat about one teaspoon of butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add about 1/4 cup batter, swirling the batter around the bottom of the skillet to cover the skillet bottom.  Allow to cook for about 2 minutes. The crepe is done when the bottom turns brown, and the top is no longer shiny, about 3 or 4 minutes. I like to add the sprinkle the cheese down the middle of the crepe just before it is done cooking, so the cheese has time to melt. Covering the pan for a minute assures melted cheese! Remove the crepe to a plate, cover to keep warm. Continue cooking until all the crepes are cooked. Prepare the remaining ingredients while the crepes are cooking. Heat another teaspoon of butter in a second skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus, rolling to make sure the spears cook on all sides. Cook until they turn a bright green, about 3 minutes. Remove the asparagus from the skillet and keep warm. Add the ham to the skillet, cooking until heated through. Finally, cook the eggs, 1 per person. I like mine either over easy or over hard, however, poached is the more traditional way with eggs. 

To assemble, lay one cheesy crepe on each dinner plate.  Top with 2 slices of ham, 5 stalks asparagus, and one egg. Fold the edges of the crepe over and serve. 

Serves 3 or 4 

Stealthy Cooking Tip: If you're using a gluten free flour, do make sure it has xanthan gum as one of the ingredients. Xanthan gum works like gluten, so that flour holds together. Measure 4 Measure and several other brands work fabulously. Serve with a side salad or fruit for a complete meal.