Every holiday, Mom would buy us a little knickknack for our hope chests and for Easter it was usually an “egg” of some sort. One year it was a shiny sterling silver egg, another time it was a limited limoge creation. I still have them all and enjoy taking them out of storage each year to display them all around the house.

Mom was also very inventive when it came to using the leftover Easter ham. She would concoct this great little casserole she called “Shinglefrekle,” a recipe she got from her mom. It makes great use of that leftover ham, but works just as well with other leftover meat, too.

“Shinglefrekle”
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
13 x 9 casserole dish, buttered and lightly sprinkled with plain bread crumbs like panko
1 box cooked farfalle (bowtie) macaroni, cooked al dente. I use San Giorgio pasta.
1 can Campbells cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup cream
2 tbsp melted butter
1 small onion, finely diced
2 ribs of fresh celery, finely diced
1 cup finely ground cooked ham
1/2 cup granted Pecorino cheese

Topping:
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs mixed with 1/4 cup grated cheese and 2 tbsp melted butter

Saute onion and celery in 1 tbsp olive oil and set aside in large bowl. Mix in all other ingredients including cooked pasta. Pour into casserole, place topping evenly over dish and place in oven for 35 to 40 minutes until hot and bubbly and top is lightly browned. Mom would serve this with a side of jarred red cabbage and a dollop of sour cream. n

Jean Hecker has a BA in Home Economics Education from Rowan University and enjoys exploring all facets of the food and restaurant industry.