Broccoli Ham and Cheese Stuffed Zucchini

Oh yes, we're having a ham-filled week this week.  And use up the vegetables week.  I wanted something a little more interesting than a slab of ham on a plate.  I am always up for an excuse to use my food processor although having one isn't necessary for this dish.  

Zucchini - I used 3 because they were kinda small.

2 slices of spiral ham (about 1-1/2 cups)

2 inch slice of onion

1 cup of broccoli

About 1/8th cup of shredded cheese

2 egg whites

Poke holes in the zucchini with a fork.  If you skip this step the resulting explosion is quite satisfying but it does ruin dinner, not to mention the inside of the microwave.  I know this for a fact.

Microwave the zucchini until they are crisp tender.  (mine took about 5 minutes)  You want to have squash that will hold the filling so they can't be too tender.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Or don't, and add 5 minutes or so to your cooking time.  I don't find this step all that important in the big scheme.  You're just trying to get food hot.  

While the zucchini is cooking, chop the broccoli, onion, and ham in the food processor.  Place in a large bowl.  

Slice the zucchini in half and scoop out the innards and add them to the bowl with the other ingredients.  Add the cheese, egg whites and mix well.  

Place the zucchini halves in a baking dish.  You will hate yourself later if you don't line the baking dish with foil.  Fill the halves with the mixture and bake for around 20 minutes.  

Serve.  Yum. I served ours with some leftover brown rice.  

Beans Greens and Ham Stew (Crockpot Recipe)

This recipe was inspired by a sale where I found spiral hams on sale for $5.00 each.  I bought two, divided them out and froze the portions - thereby leaving me scratching my head in front of the open freezer door (Do you think I'm trying to cool the inside of the house with that?) wondering what the hell I'm going to do with 15 packages of frozen ham.  Further inspiration came from that overbuying at the produce stand incident and overfilling vegetable crisper drawers that really really needed to be used up.  Today. Aaaaaand a container of cooked white beans that decided they didn't want to be made into white bean dip after all...

Have I mentioned I LOVE my crockpot?  Crockpots are every lazy cooks dream..

Ingredients - your mileage may vary.  Use what you have on hand.

1 onion - diced
1 big honking glop of chopped garlic
1 rib celery - diced
1 handful* of baby carrots - chopped
1 handful* of baby spinach - chopped
1 handful* diced ham
1 baby red potato - diced
2 handfuls*cooked white beans (or 2 cans if you're into the whole canned bean thing.  I'm not)
Crushed pepper (which I couldn't find so I used ground pepper from the Indian store which is much hotter)
Water to cover.

Slice, dice, chop and mix everything in the crockpot, turning it on low.  Walk away and go do something fun and some time by late afternoon season the stew to taste and eat.  Enjoy.  Pack the leftovers in your lunch for tomorrow.

*By my reckoning a handful is equals about a cup.  Wash your hands before measuring.  Please.