Cooking

Leftover ham? This is a quick and easy one-pot meal.

I’m guessing that by the time Monday rolls around, many of us will have leftover ham in the fridge.

This was a vacation creation, a clever way to use up leftover ham and the abundant supply of pineapple that we had on the island. Since ham and pineapple are two of the Tiny Kitchen Assistant’s favorite foods, this was met with much enthusiasm.

This may very well be the fastest recipe that I have in my repertoire, prepared from start to finish in less than 20 minutes.

A note on the quantity of ham: the first time I made this recipe, I chopped close to 1.5 cups. The second time around, the package of leftover ham yielded closer to one cup. There didn’t seem to be a huge difference in the final result.

You can also make a meatless version: omit the ham and add a touch of chipotle powder (just a touch!) to replace the smoky flavor that will be missing without the ham.

Ingredients

• 1/2 onion, diced
• Grapeseed or olive oil
• 1+ cups diced ham
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce (I use low sodium)
• 20 oz can pineapple tidbits, drained with juice reserved
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups leftover rice

Instructions

In a large skillet, cook the onion over medium-high heat until soft. Add the ham, 2 Tbsp soy sauce and 2 Tbsp pineapple juice. Cook until the ham is warmed through.

Push the onion and ham mixture to one side of the skillet. Add the eggs to the open space and cook, stirring frequently.

When eggs have cooked, mix in pineapple and rice. Stir to combine and allow to heat through. Season with additional soy sauce, pineapple juice, salt and pepper, as needed.

If you’re feeling fancy, top with chopped macadamia nuts for extra texture.

This isn't exactly gourmet eating for adults, but the kid adores it.

Results

“You can make this at home, too, right? This isn’t just a vacation food? Because it’s sooooo good!” – Tiny Kitchen Assistant

It’s not exactly going to win any gourmet food awards, but it’s a quick, easy and pretty tasty meal to make with the leftovers that you already have on hand.

Tags: fast, ham, leftovers, pineapple, RICE, stovetop

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