Do you have tons of ham leftover from yesterday’s holiday dinner? I always seem to buy way more than any normal family could eat, often with the idea that we’ll eat ham sandwiches for the rest of the week. After a day or two, ham between two slices of bread can get boring, regardless of how much you gussy up the sandwiches. Not to worry! Today’s recipe is all about options. I happen to be obsessed with crepes, and my daughter is too. We whip up crepe batter in a blender with a minimum of fuss (and dishes!), then start cranking them out. They just take a minute or two to cook, and even freeze easily for future use if you make too many.
If you’re not in the mood to make a cheese sauce (though it is totally delectable), instead, place a tablespoon of shredded cheddar inside each crepe with the ham and apples and bake in a 325-degree oven for 10 minutes to melt the cheese. The sweetness of the apple works well with the saltiness of ham and the tanginess of the cheese. These are totally delicious and a great way to use all of that leftover ham. Enjoy!
Ham, Apple and Cheddar Crepes
Yield: 6 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
- 3 cups ham, shredded and warmed
- 1 3/4 cups 2% milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Granny Smith apple, halved, cored and thinly sliced
Cheese Sauce
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped, optional
Pour milk, butter, eggs and salt in blender. Mix until well combined. Add flour. Blend for 15 to 20 seconds or until smooth. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Heat an 8-inch crepe pan or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat well with nonstick cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cup batter into pan, swirl to fully cover bottom of pan. Cook for 1 minute or until crepe begins to curl around edges. Carefully flip and cook for an additional 30 seconds or until set. Transfer to plate. Repeat with additional cooking spray and remaining batter. Layer cooked crepes between pieces of wax paper to prevent sticking.
Lay a crepe on a clean work surface. Arrange few slices of apple on one quarter of the crepe; top with shredded ham. Fold crepe in half to cover filling and fold in half again to create triangular shape. Repeat with remaining crepes, apple and ham. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet and hold in warm oven until ready to serve, or up to 30 minutes.
For cheese sauce, melt butter in saucepan set over medium heat. Stir in flour until well coated. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until pale and smooth. Whisk in milk, a splash at a time, until smooth; stir in mustard, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until thick enough to coat back of spoon. Remove from heat. Whisk in cheese, a small handful at a time, until melted and smooth.
Place filled crepes on each plate. Spoon cheese sauce over each crepe and sprinkle with chives if desired.
Serving Suggestion: All the elements of the recipe can be prepared a day in advance and gently warmed before assembling.
Source: National Pork Board
