Hello, and Happy Easter, foodies!
Have you seen the ITKWDpromo that's running on QVC right now? Mary's stealing eggs out of my Easter basket! We have so much fun shooting those…as you can see from this behind-the-scenes photo. Many thanks to Wes, our incredibly talented shooter/editor, for capturing this moment!
I'm very much looking forward to spending Easter with you all this Sunday at Noon ET. I hope you've checked out our recipe and menu pages to get all ready for the big meal. Lots of you are repinning the Deviled Egg Chicks and Salted Caramel Chocolate Nests on Pinterest, and I'm glad you liked those. (If you aren't following me on Pinterest, do so. It's a great place to find even more recipe and DIY ideas.)
Sunday's recipe is for that late-night snack or Monday treat. It's a great way to use up that leftover ham and I must say…it's one of the tastiest recipes we've ever done. Foodies, get ready for my Ham & Cheddar Polenta Fries!
Ham & Cheddar Polenta Fries
This recipe is prepared with the Blue Jean Chef Hard Anodized Dishwasher Safe 7-Piece Cookware Set (K34160).
Go to David's Recipe Item Page for the full list of items that David has used in his recipes.
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
2 cups milk
2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups yellow cornmeal
4 oz ham, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh sage, finely chopped
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Peanut or canola oil, for frying
Directions:
Heat the oil over medium heat in a 5-quart stockpot, add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the milk, chicken broth, and butter and bring to a simmer. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal, avoiding any lumps. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the pot from the heat and add the ham, herbs, and cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Spread the cornmeal mixture on the surface of a rimmed 9" x 13" cookie sheet with a heat-resistant spatula. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap, put on oven mitts, then evenly press the mixture down, spreading it out to the edges. Refrigerate the covered cornmeal mixture until completely cooled.
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven to 375°F. (Or, preheat a deep fryer.) Flip the polenta out of the cookie sheet onto a large cutting board. Cut the polenta into 1/2" strips and then cut each strip into 3" pieces. Fry, in batches, until deep golden brown. (Adding too many at once can cool the oil down.) Drain the fries on paper towels; serve immediately.
Foodies, I have something exciting to share. Starting next week—in a few special blogs each month—we're going to post step-by-step photos of how to make my recipes! This is something I've been wanting to do for a LONG time. And, we finally made it happen. I can't wait to hear what you think. Look for my first photo blog on Monday.
Your blog question today, foodies, is what are you most looking forward to this Easter holiday? Dying Easter eggs? Getting together with family and friends? Attending worship? I know you'll be shocked…but I'm dreaming of all that food. Ham. Sweet potato casserole. Grandma's coconut cake. YUM!!
Have a blessed holiday. See you at Noon ET.
As always, keep it flavorful!
—David
P.S. The folks from Best Friends for Frosting (one of my favorite blogs!) were kind enough to write a little feature on me in a recent post. Aren't they sweet?