Leftover Ham? Make a QUICHEROLE (a Tasty Invention)

There might be several ways to recycle food if you just use a little imagination. Throwing out perfectly good food is not only morally wrong when you think of how many people worldwide are starving, but also financially foolish. Times are tough right now and people everywhere are trying to save a buck, so why not start in your kitchen? Eating at home is much cheaper than eating out (and in many cases better quality), and if you know how to use up leftovers- that's an even bigger savings!

I went to my sister's house the other day and sitting on her kitchen counter was an invention she had just created. She told me she had a bunch of leftovers like diced ham from a ham dinner a couple of night's ago, rice from the night before, cottage cheese that was close to the expiration date (but still good), shredded cheese from two opened packages, and so on. It was neither a quiche nor a casserole, so I dubbed it "quicherole." It was so good that I had to write a hub about it!

My sister was nice enough to give me approximations so that I could write the recipe, but you can add more or less (or even throw in anything you think might work). Remember, cooking is all about experimenting with flavors, textures and spices. If you make something that doesn't taste great, figure out what you could change to make it work.

SANDY'S EASY LEFTOVER HAM QUICHEROLE
* All measurements are approximate

*Preheat oven to 375 f

2 c leftover diced ham

2 c rice

1 cottage cheese

1/4 c shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 c shredded cheddar cheese

1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach

3 eggs beaten with about 1/2 c half and half (or whole milk)

salt, pepper and any other spices you wish to add- to personal taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Pour into a casserole or quiche dish. Bake 375f for 45 minutes. Cool and serve. Super easy!

This quicherole can be served hot or cold with a side salad and a nice white wine. If you make it in a square or rectangular baking dish, it can be cut into squares and served as a snack or as a heavy buffet item at a cocktail party. If you try it let me know how it turns out! Thank you for reading!

C. De Melo
Author & Artist
www.cdemelo.com