Monday Recipes...Leftover Madness!

Yesterday we had a lovely ham for dinner. Of course, we have leftovers...lovely, succulent ham leftovers, the best kind!

Tonight for dinner, we'll have one of the Darlin' Man's favorite dishes...

Ham Hash
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1 cup diced ham
2 cups diced potatoes
1/2 cup diced onions
2 tablespoons butter
Melt butter in cast iron skillet or frying pan. Add potatoes and ham. Cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, then add onions and saute for additional 5 minutes, stirring so it doesn't burn/scorch.
Serve hot.

A simple dish, but it disappears from plates FAST around here.

I, personally, am drooling in anticipation of MY favorite ham leftover dish..

Hawaiian Ham Croquettes
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1 cup finely minced or diced ham
1/4 cup green pepper finely diced
1/4 cup finely minced pineapple (you can use crushed pineapple--well drained)
3 tablespoons finely diced celery
1 egg
1/2 to 1 cup dry breadcrumbs (really, it is personal preference here, plus local humidity)
Mix all of the above together, make small patties--about a teaspoon of mixture to a patty and fry in oil (just enough oil to cover). Drain on paper towels.
I make a sauce to go with the croquettes by using about a tablespoon of the frying oil, 1/4 cup pineapple juice, 3 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon of (powdered) ginger with a teaspoon or so of cornstarch and 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water. I serve the ham croquettes over rice and spoon on a bit of the sauce.

Of course, there is always ham and beans when we get down to the bone, ham salad to be made with all the bits and pieces, omelets with ham and cheese, etc.
I love the versatility of ham!

Multi-Purpose OCD

Okay, I have my own little personal form of OCD.
Been with me most my life.
I almost NEVER get anything that is single purpose.
Even if it is intended for only one purpose, I can usually find several purposes for almost every item I own.

I also have the tendency to drag things out of dumpsters or off the curb when other *wasteful* folks toss the item out.

Here's an example of both...rolled into one item.

A hammock.
One of my tenants tossed it out because it got wet and "started smelling funky".
The hammock was folded up in a matching fabric bag.
I took the hammock out of the bag, and both the fabric bag and the hammock in a bucket. I dumped a quart bottle of white vinegar in and added water to cover.
Let it soak overnight.

Wrung it out the next morning.
Washed it twice the next morning in the washer.
Dried it in the dryer with 3 fabric sheets.
Then hung it outside (nice breeze was blowing) for the rest of the day.
LOVELY!
No funky smell. Smells sweet and fresh.
But, the ropes on either end...not in such good shape.
I cut them off and replace them with stronger para-cord (easy fix).
Also, as I was removing the old roping, I could see how the new roping would go in/on AND figured out how to make one of the many serapes I have into a similar hammock.

Now...why would I go to such lengths for an old hammock?
First, the hammock wasn't that old. Was, in fact, fairly new.
I looked online and found that the hammock (shown above) retails for 89.99.
Seeing how the hammock was constructed, taught me how to construct my own.
Also, when asked by the darling man as to what other purposes the hammock and bag could be used for OTHER than a hammock and bag...here's what I came up with:
Hammock in bag = pillow/cushion
Bag = Means of filtering debris out of water
Hammock = Net for catching fish in a water channel
Hammock = blanket
Hammock = Tied up in trees to safeguard food cache from wildlife
Bag = Berry picking/food gathering bag away from camp
Bag = Fish Creel
Hammock = Compact sledge to drag large game, injured companion, etc.
Bag = Filled with rocks for a weight (makeshift anchor for tent, boat, whatever)

See where I am going with this?
I live in a small space. One room, more or less.
I HAVE to utilize my space efficiently.
Therefore, most everything I own is, at the very least, dual purpose. The more uses, the better.

As for dragging stuff out of the trash...well....
My neighbor threw out a comforter about a month ago. I grabbed it from the top of his trash can and asked him if I could have it.
Okay with him, he said it had a tear in it.
The tear was TWO INCHES LONG!
Hello?!?
This was a LUXURY comforter! From JC Penney's! I looked up the style and the price.
$199.00 (Pic at top of this post)
Holy Crap!
YES, I sewed up the eensy-weensy rip and washed it. It is on my bed right now!
Later on, if it later disintegrates, it can be reused for other things...I can rip it apart and use the fabric for pillows, tote bags, a dog bed, curtains, whatever and use the batting for a quilt or two.

Why, why, WHY do people toss out perfectly good items?
I have no clue, but I am glad they do (for my greedy hands to find and repair!)