Ham Pot Pie

Oh Boy! I had fun with this one. You know that feeling of utter desperation when you realize it is 6:00, and once again, you have no idea what to do for dinner? That feeling that you are an awful mother to have nothing prepared to feed your children and must ply them with endless snacks while you deliberate upon your options?

I hate that feeling.

And so, I dug around in my freezer for a ray of hope. Ham, what can I do with all these reduced price ham steaks I bought? The fridge. OOOOH! I forgot I had crescent rolls in here! The pantry. Well, thank heavens I keep a ton of Cream of Mushroom soup on hand at all times... I thank the motivation of wanting another recipe to post, and inspiration that comes when you think that all hope of a quick and painless dinner is lost.

I present to you - Ham Pot Pie!

1 1/2 pound ham (I used a ham steak) cut into bite sized chunks
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can kitchen sliced green beans, drained thoroughly, rinsed optional
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
3 tbsp dried minced onions
1 can croissant dough
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl combine the following: Ham, soup, beans, peas, mayo, sour cream, and onions, and black pepper. Do not add salt, there is plenty in the ham and the wet stuff.

Slop into a 9x13 pan, glass is good. Spread around evenly.

Open the croissants. Very gently unroll so the dough doesn't seperate. Lay out on a floured surface, and pinch together the seams. Lightly flour the top and roll out to a rectangle about 9x13, so it fits in the pan. Lay on top of the ham mixture. I loosely rolled it onto the rolling pin and rolled it off into the pan. Press it against the edges of the pan to help keep the juices in.

Crack the egg into a cup. Mix with about 2 tsp water. Beat and brush onto the pastry dough. This keeps it from burning on top and drying out. Gives it a nice, shiny look when it's done.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, or until pastry is a nice, golden brown, and the ham stuff is bubbling. Let cool about 10 minutes (during which I set the table and gathered children) before cutting. Otherwise the filling will flow everywhere!

This tasted a little like a really fancy green bean casserole. My kids liked it, Hubby had 3 large pieces, and I will be making this again. What's nice about posting these recipes that I come up with is that now I can go back and remember the really good ones, so I can make them again!

I served this alongside a simple salad dressed with the following vinegarette.

1 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp fresh parsley
1/2 tsp country dijon mustard
1/2 tsp minced garlic (I use the bottled stuff)
Black pepper

Mash together in small bowl. Add 1 tbsp olive oil, mix in and let sit for a bit to let the flavors blend. Using a small whisk or a fork, beat while adding about 2 tbsp of red wine vinegar until well blended. Pour to taste over salad and toss just before serving. Otherwise your lettuce will get limp and the tomatoes will release their juices. I didn't add salt, plenty of flavor from the vinegar. This will make enough for a salad for 4-6 people. I used only a couple tsp for a salad for 2-3. It doesn't take much, but was really good!