Leftover ham hash cakes

Happy New Year to all my readers! I am currently sipping a medicinal red wine to try and feel better. Have to say, it’s doing the job! Overall, had a really quiet Christmas with very little boozing. Annoyingly I’ve been ill since pretty much Christmas Eve, as you’ll see from my latest vlog about our Christmas this year (on the right hand side bar there!). This bug crept up and now it’s on its way out but it’s not been an ideal, perky start to the new year. In fact, I also spent today watching two films and finishing off chocolate and mince pies. But I did peel myself off the sofa to take the Christmas deccies down. So that’s some productivity, eh? (I’m all about the positive thinking this year, can you tell?!)

This recipe for Ham hash cakes was for Easy Parenting Magazine recently. I just took out my turkey and ham leftovers from the freezer this morning actually; there is quite a lot to get through! It was just us for dinner on the big day, then we had a party and then back to Adam’s parents’ house for a few days. Still, I’m looking forward to cooking them both up in different ways: thinking of a healthy, zingy, turkey chilli with beans and brown rice tomorrow (craving heat and fresh flavours at the minute), then later in the week I am doing ham and pineapple pizzas (maybe a wholemeal base?) so look out for them both on my YouTube channel and here on the blog. This, however is a great, simple recipe if you have some potatoes, or even better, mash to use up. And you have to – absolutely have have have to – serve them with chili sauce of some kind. I chose Tabasco when I made them – with a fried egg and some watercress too.

Talking of my YouTube channel just now I will be doing 3 videos a week from now on, so look out for uploads on Tuesday, Thursday and (new to the schedule) Sunday too. I’m really looking forward to making food related vlogs, sharing recipes, and also diary style vlogs about everyday mum life too. Subscribe if you haven’t already! Tomorrow’s is all about our family food resolutions (strictly no diets allowed) so keep your eyes peeled that that one.

Makes: 4 big ones (double up as necessary)

Takes: 20 minutes

 Ingredients:

• 400g mashed potatoes (if you have roasties, you could mash them with a fork)
• 200g ham, shredded or chopped up
• Salt and pepper
• Oil for frying
• Light dusting of flour

Optional:

• 4 sliced, softened spring onions
• Pinch of chilli flakes

To serve:

• Salad leaves (like watercress)
• Tabasco sauce
• Fried eggs

Instructions:

1. Soften the sliced spring onion in pan with a little oil, if using.
2. Combine the potatoes and shredded or chopped ham using a fork or your hands. Add onion if using plus chilli if you like. Season and mix well. Form into burger shaped patties.
3. Heat more oil in a pan, and fry for about 15 minutes, turning once. Brown the edges before taking out the pan.
4. Set to one side, and heat more oil to fry eggs.
5. Serve on a bed of salad leaves with an egg on top.