With last Saturday being just prior to Thanksgiving I baked a ham for the family to enjoy. My sister was going to be cooking a turkey dinner on the Sunday, so I wanted to give her a day off ahead of the big day to just relax and let someone else do the cooking. Nobody was complaining!
In any case, I ended up with a quantity of leftover baked ham to use up. I did give my sister a goodly amount to take home, and I also took some over to my next-door neighbor, but I still had a fair bit to use up myself.
- 3/4-pound (340g) russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 4 ounces (115g) baked ham, diced
- 1/2 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 1 TBS honey mustard, divided
- 2 large eggs
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 TBS ghee or cooking oil
- Heat half of the ghee/oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the ham and onion. (I used ghee because I have it. I make my own ghee. It is relatively simple to make.)
- Cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to caramelize. Stir in1/2 TBS of honey mustard. Cook for about a minute longer and then scrape into a bowl. Set aside. (No need to keep warm as you will be reheating it briefly with the potatoes.)
- Heat the remaining ghee/oil in the skillet. Add the potatoes. Season lightly. Toss to coat in the fat. Cover and cook over medium heat until almost cooked through, about 8 minutes or so. (They should be al dente and just starting to brown.)
- Uncover and continue to cook until they are fork tender and golden brown. Stir in the remaining mustard.
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C. gas mark 6. Have ready a 1qt (1-litre) baking dish.
- Add the ham and onions back to the skillet and heat through. Spoon into a baking dish. Make two hollows in the potato mixture and crack an egg into each. (I used the back of a spoon to make two shallow hollows, just the right size to hold each egg.)
- Roast in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the eggs are done to your preference. (It is really hard to tell when they are done but still soft. They seem jiggly all the way through. You can prick with a toothpick to check on the yolks.)
- Serve immediately.

Ham, Egg & Potato Bake
Onions, potatoes and ham, browned to caramelized perfection, seasoned with some honey mustard and then baked with eggs. The perfect weekend breakfast, or a simple weeknight supper. Cook times are subjected and vary according to your own preferences.
Ingredients
- 3/4-pound (340g) russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 4 ounces (115g) baked ham, diced
- 1/2 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 1 TBS honey mustard, divided
- 2 large eggs
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 TBS ghee or cooking oil
Instructions
- Heat half of the ghee/oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the ham and onion.
- Cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to caramelize. Stir in1/2 TBS of honey mustard. Cook for about a minute longer and then scrape into a bowl. Set aside.
- Heat the remaining ghee in the skillet. Add the potatoes. Season lightly. Toss to coat in the fat. Cover and cook over medium heat until almost cooked through, about 8 minutes or so.
- Uncover and continue to cook until they are fork tender and golden brown. Stir in the remaining mustard.
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C. gas mark 6. Have ready a 1qt (1-litre) baking dish.
- Add the ham and onions back to the skillet and heat through. Spoon into a baking dish. Make two hollows in the potato mixture and crack an egg into each.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the eggs are done to your preference.
- Serve immediately.
Did you make this recipe?
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- 1 TBS light olive oil
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 tsp either dried rosemary or thyme
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- salt and ground white pepper to taste
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/2 cup (120ml) fresh apple cider (not vinegar)
- 1/2 TBS Dijon mustard
- 1 fresh sprig of either rosemary or thyme
- 1 TBS butter
- chopped fresh parsley to serve
- Whisk the dried thyme or rosemary, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt and white pepper together in a small bowl. (This will be your seasoning mix.)
- Pat your chicken thighs dry with some paper kitchen towels and then rub them all over with the seasoning mixture. (This step helps them to brown nicer and prevents too much splattering. It also helps the seasoning to adhere to the chicken.)
- Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. (A heavy bottom on your skillet will conduct the heat better and more evenly.)
- Once hot, add the chicken thighs and sauté for 5 minutes. Flip over and cook for an additional 5 to 6 minutes. Internal temperature should read 165*F/74*C. (The juices should run clear and not be pink in the least.)
- Remove the chicken to a plate and keep warm. (Tent with foil to hold in the heat.)
- Add the fresh garlic to the skillet and cook for about 30 seconds until quite fragrant. Do not brown. (Browned garlic can be bitter.)
- Add the cider slowly and whisk in the Dijon mustard. Add the sprig of fresh herbs. (I use a small wire whisk.)
- Cook, without disturbing, for a further 6 to 8 minutes to reduce the sauce by half. Whisk in the butter slowly to melt. (The butter will create a rich emulsion that is silky and delicious.)
- Return the chicken thighs to the skillet to heat through for a further 2 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Cider Glazed Chicken Thighs
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sauteed in a savory blend of spices and herbs, then glazed with a delicious apple cider & Dijon reduction. Quick, easy delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 TBS light olive oil
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 tsp either dried rosemary or thyme
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- salt and ground white pepper to taste
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/2 cup (120ml) fresh apple cider (not vinegar)
- 1/2 TBS Dijon mustard
- 1 fresh sprig of either rosemary or thyme
- 1 TBS butter
- chopped fresh parsley to serve
Instructions
- Whisk the dried thyme or rosemary, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt and white pepper together in a small bowl.
- Pat your chicken thighs dry with some paper kitchen towels and then rub them all over with the seasoning mixture.
- Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat.
- Once hot, add the chicken thighs and sauté for 5 minutes. Flip over and cook for an additional 5 to 6 minutes. Internal temperature should read 165*F/74*C.
- Remove the chicken to a plate and keep warm.
- Add the fresh garlic to the skillet and cook for about 30 seconds until quite fragrant. Do not brown.
- Add the cider slowly and whisk in the Dijon mustard. Add the sprig of fresh herbs.
- Cook, without disturbing, for a further 6 to 8 minutes to reduce the sauce by half. Whisk in the butter slowly to melt.
- Return the chicken thighs to the skillet to heat through for a further 2 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Did you make this recipe?
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
I was having the family over for a pre-Thanksgiving Dinner on Saturday and I really wanted to make side dishes that were not only delicious but impressive. I also was looking for easy. Not that I am lazy or anything, but when you are cooking an assortment of different dishes for a meal, it helps that they are somewhat easy to execute!
You can't go wrong with a gratin! They always go together very easily and to be honest, they look impressive when done. They look like they take a lot more effort to make than they really do. Since this is harvest season and root vegetables are at their very freshest and finest, I decided to make one using them.
I had seen a few recipes online for root vegetable gratins that employed more than one type of vegetable. They looked beautiful and so I decided to make one using three different root vegetables rather than only one.
I used sweet potatoes, parsnips and beetroot for my gratin, which was a risk because of the propensity of beetroot to bleed its color into everything else, but I figured out a way to get around that, and I think I ended up with a beautiful bake that reminded me somewhat of a flag. In order to achieve this I treated each vegetable individually and into individual rows, with the end result being quite attractive.
You can vary the vegetables you choose to use. Any root vegetable will work well in a gratin. One of the things which makes this side dish so irresistible is the balance of texture and colors of the vegetables combined with the rich and creamy sauce, which is basically just an infused cream.
The cream thickens into a sauce while it is cooking along with the juices of the vegetables with most delicious results. The use of two cheeses in this dish complements the natural earthy sweetness of the root vegetables perfectly.
Easy to make without requiring a lot of effort, impressive to look at when done, and delicious. What more could you ask for?
- 4 TBS butter, melted
- 2 long sweet potatoes
- 2 large parsnips
- 2 small beets (can use turnips instead if you wish)
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 1 ounce (28g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp dried thyme, divided
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and grated
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup (115g) grated Gruyere Cheese (Or any other cheese with similar melting properties), divided
- Fresh thyme to garnish (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a 3 QT (liter) shallow baking dish with a bit of the butter. (This will help prevent anything from sticking to the dish.)
- Whisk the cream together with the remaining melted butter, the Parmesan cheese, dried thyme and grated garlic. Pour 1/4 of it into the bottom of the baking dish. Set the remainder aside. (I grate the garlic so it gets mixed into the cream equally.)
- Peel your vegetables and cut them into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. (You can use a mandoline to cut them into 1/4 inch thick slices. If your potatoes are quite large, cut them in half lengthwise and then cut into half moons 1/4 inch thick.)
- Put the sweet potatoes into a bowl with 1/3 of the remaining cream mixture. Season lightly and toss together to coat. Place into the baking dish in a row, overlapping them. Pour any cream remaining in the bowl over top. (Consult photos for an idea of how to layer the vegetables in the baking dish.)
- Put the parsnips into a bowl with another 1/3 of the cream mixture. Season lightly and toss together to coat. Place into the baking dish in a row, overlapping them. Pour any cream remaining in the bowl over top.
- Put the beets into a bowl with the remainder of the cream mixture. Season lightly and toss together to coat. Place into the baking dish in a row, overlapping them. Pour any cream remaining in the bowl over top. (The beets are done last to help keep their color from bleeding into everything else, giving you a much more attractive finish.)
- Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Place onto a baking sheet. (The baking sheet allows for ease of taking the gratin dish in and out of the oven and allows for an easier clean up should the cream boil over.)
- Bake for 40 minutes.
- Uncover and sprinkle with the Gruyere cheese. Bake uncovered for another 35 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables are tender, the casserole is lovely and bubbling and golden brown.
- Let stand for a few minutes prior to serving. Garnish with fresh thyme if desired.
There is no need to use the vegetables I have called for in this recipe. This is a recipe which will work with any combination of root vegetables. If you are not fond of the combination I have suggested or if you have a hard time availing yourself of any one of them feel free to substitute root vegetables that you do enjoy and can get easily. Just be sure to peel them and slice them thinly into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Cheesy Root Vegetable Gratin
A rich and delicious side dish that would make a fabulous holiday side. This tasty gratin showcases the season's best in the tastiest way!
Ingredients
- 4 TBS butter, melted
- 2 long sweet potatoes
- 2 large parsnips
- 2 small beets (can use turnips instead if you wish)
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 1 ounce (28g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp dried thyme, divided
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and grated
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup (115g) grated Gruyere Cheese (Or any other cheese with similar melting properties), divided
- Fresh thyme to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a 3 QT (liter) shallow baking dish with a bit of the butter.
- Whisk the cream together with the remaining melted butter, the Parmesan cheese, dried thyme and grated garlic. Pour 1/4 of it into the bottom of the baking dish. Set the remainder aside.
- Peel your vegetables and cut them into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.
- Put the sweet potatoes into a bowl with 1/3 of the remaining cream mixture. Season lightly and toss together to coat. Place into the baking dish in a row, overlapping them. Pour any cream remaining in the bowl over top.
- Put the parsnips into a bowl with another 1/3 of the cream mixture. Season lightly and toss together to coat. Place into the baking dish in a row, overlapping them. Pour any cream remaining in the bowl over top.
- Put the beets into a bowl with the remainder of the cream mixture. Season lightly and toss together to coat. Place into the baking dish in a row, overlapping them. Pour any cream remaining in the bowl over top.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Place onto a baking sheet.
- Bake for 40 minutes.
- Uncover and sprinkle with the Gruyere cheese. Bake uncovered for another 35 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables are tender, the casserole is lovely and bubbling and golden brown.
- Let stand for a few minutes prior to serving. Garnish with fresh thyme if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
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