The Big Shake Up

I have been kept hopping last week and this one and probable the next while to come. A new 1 year old babe has joined the dayhome crew and he is one busy little fellow. Not to mention it does take them a little bit to get used to being out of the routine that they have known all their little lives. Sometimes I wonder what these little ones think when not only is their routine changed but they have all these new faces surrounding them that they have never seen before with mom or dad nowhere in sight. It must be quite the thing for them. The little guy is doing good, though, all things considered. It's more me trying to figure out his needs but we'll get on the same page soon. Albiet the blogging may get a little sporadic but I hope not. I need you big people to "talk" with! :v)

So after an extremely exhausting day yesterday, in which I could not get near the computer, I still had to come up with an easy supper as I still had an interview with parents right afterwards. Thank goodness for Barb and her Potato-Ham Bake recipe she posted here. As it turned out, I had read that and put some leftover ham away from our New Year's ham in anticipation of making this recipe. But I must say, as is the usual case with me, I had to do some change ups because I cannot get my act together with having all the right ingrediants. I don't know what is up with me and that. I think I have all the right stuff but then I go to make it and guess what? I don't. Which makes for interesting times in the kitchen.

So yesterday, in spite of making a grocery store run to get the asparagus, I still didn't get it right. I was going off the top of my head instead of using a list. And Barb, I'm so sorry I changed it up so much, but in spite of all that it was absolutely delish! I blame it all on James Barber,the Urban Peasant, who's cooking show I used to watch all the time, who gave me my first love for cooking, and who's mantra was "If you don't have it on hand, use what you have!" It's all his fault!

Barb, you might want to put your fingers in your ears, so to speak, or cover your eyes at this point, so that you don't know just how much I shook up your wonderful recipe. But here's what I did. I didn't have Yukon Gold potatoes so I used red. I didn't have onion chive cream cheese so I used a brick of regular cream cheese and added about 1/4 - 1/3 cup more milk to it than the recipe called for as it's stiffer than the cream cheese in a tub. I took a good couple of tablespoons of the cream cheese and ran it through my handy dandy little 1 cup processor with 2 green onions, white and green parts, until the onion was finely chopped. Then added it to the rest of the cream cheese in the pot. I didn't have tarragon, so I googled it (I love that google!) to look for a substitute and used marjoram instead. And then on top of it all, I realized I sent my unopened bottle of parmesan with the college girl and I didn't have that either. So I finely grated some mozarella I had on hand. I used a little more as it's a milder flavor.

I'm surprised I didn't have to change up the pepper, for heaven's sakes. LOL. But in spite of all that, it was absolutely delicious! Everything blended together in flavor for a very easy, family pleasing dinner. Which tells me Barb, that you're recipe is the best as it lends it easily to changes and still tastes great!

Here's hubby, son's and my dish of wonderfulness.

And oh my goodness, Barb, I even changed up the ham, with some leftover chicken for youngest daughter who won't eat pork or beef. And girlie loved it!

So I guess all I really didn't change was the asparagus and the pepper. Oh please don't let a lightning bolt hit me. But I would have made James Barber proud! :v}

For the real recipe, go visit Barb, you won't be sorry and you'll have another easy go to dinner for those busy days.