From Something To Something Else

by: Paula Limbang
Photos by Paula Limbang
2008-12-02

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It is undeniable that festive and yummy cuisine is one of the highlights of your dining tables this Christmas - the time of the year where you stuff yourself from consistently attending parties and family reunions. But most of the time, when parties and Noche Buena are over, your fridge will be stocked with plenty of leftovers that you have to reheat as the same old thing next day.

Don't fret because you don't have to abhor eating reheated ham or cold cheese over and over again. Here are some recipes to help turn Christmas leftovers into tasty new treats.

Festive Ham Salad

Festive hams have never been out-of-date specially in holidays like this. If you still have remaining boxes of ham at home given by your colleagues, you may add some twists to your usual sweet hams just enough to prepare for New Year.

You will need:

Salad Ingredients
Mixed greens
Tomatoes wedges (cut into 4 slices)
½ pound Leftover Ham (cut into strips)
50g Ripe Mangoes
50g Grapes (seedless, cut into half)
10g Black Olives
¼ cup Brown Sugar
Cheddar Cheese
Cooking Oil

Dressing Ingredients
½ cup yogurt (plain)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon honey

How to prepare:

1. Combine the dressing ingredients and then chill for about 10 minutes. Set aside.
2. Sprinkle the ham with ¼ cup brown sugar and fry the strips in medium heat pan.
3. Combine the cooked ham with the rest of the salad ingredients (mixed greens, tomatoes, mangoes, grapes and black olives) into a serving plate.
4. Add dressing and garnish your salad with shredded parmesan or cheddar cheese.
5. Add more dressing only if needed

Fruitcake Rum Balls

Finally, there’s a reason to eat the fruitcake! It has been a holiday tradition way back in Roman times. Fruitcake is loaded healthy nutrients and fruits fibers that protect the cells from disease and damage. Unfortunately, most fruitcakes end up being given away as recycled presents. So here's a recipe that will encourage you and your guest to actually eat it.

You will need:

Fruitcake Mixture
250g crumbled fruitcake
1 cup graham crackers (crushed)
½ cup butter
¼ cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons peanuts (unsalted, coarsely chopped)

Coating
Compound Chocolate, bittersweet (melted)
White compound chocolate (melted)
Chocolate sprinkles or rainbow sprinkles
2 tbsp. (25ml.) dark rum

How to prepare:

1. Mix the fruitcake mixture into a shallow bowl. Form into balls and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes or until firm
2. Pour rum into a bowl.
3. Dip the rum balls into rum then roll into separate bowl with melted chocolate and garnish it with sprinkles or nuts.

Creamy Cheese Soup

Your holidays won’t be complete without queso de bola on your dinner tables. For sure it won’t be used up in a day and might be kept in your fridge for so long. Instead of throwing it away, let your magic hands do something different to your Edam cheese.

You will need:
1 ½ cups milk
½ cup cooked diced carrots and carrot juice
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup grated queso de bola
1 pc. Egg (beaten)
¼ teaspoon ground mace (spices)
Cayenne pepper

How to prepare:

1. Cook 1 ½ cups milk in double boiler with carrots, adding spice and seasoning simultaneously.
2. Once carrots are very soft, strain and press through a sieve, pouring liquid on to a beaten egg. Stir.
3. Return the soup to the double boiler and reheat for about 5 minutes.
4. Add grated queso de bola until it melts. Serve.

If you have any comments and suggestions, you may send them to info@hotoccasions.com. We'd love to hear from you.

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Related Topics: christmas/new year | food | how to |