just another one-skillet meal

Who said you can't enjoy comfort foods when it's too darn hot to cook?

I still cannot take this heat - yesterday was another one of those days and I made a one-skillet meal, so today I'm doing the same thing.

Yesterday was Sausage, Tater and Onion Skillet - http://www.oldfashionedhomecooking.net/2010/07/its-still-too-hot-to-cook.html

Today was Zucchini, Onion and Ham sammies on French bread with bean/beet/onion salad.


Normally, it would have been pancetta in place of ham - but when you haven't got an ingredient - you substitute. And we are zucchini lovers - fixing it so many different ways.


Speaking of ham - I purchased a 2-pound package of Sugardale Sliced Ham - nicely shaped deli ham slices that would be nice to make sammies with. SURPRISE - this ham was SALTY! A total turn-off!


So today I figured I could use up a few slices if I boiled the salt out - so I placed 4 ham slices in a pot of water and brought to a boil; boiled for less than a minute, removed the ham from the pan, emptied the water and rinsed the pan thoroughly, and boiled it again for less than a minute. Boiling it for too long would boil the salt right back into it - this was just right.




Meanwhile, I assembled my salad -

1 29-oz. can cut green beans, drained
1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans, drained (chickpeas)
1/2 large Vidalia onion, sliced
1 15-oz. can sliced beets, sliced

A simple vinaigrette of olive oil, vinegar, Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper.



I washed and peeled my zucchini - 3 smaller ones and added to my hot skillet that had olive oil in it. In went the remaining half Vidalia onion and one cooking onion. Seasoned with Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, garlic, parsley, and onion powder. When the ham was "done", I just cut it into strips and added to the pan and fried until done.



I served this on split French bread with a nice helping of salad.