Easy, quick, and cheap. Oh, and delicious, so basically perfect. Picnic rice, the vintage recipe from ‘More Saratoga Secrets’ is the perfect budget friendly way to use leftover ham. It’s super simple, very family friendly, and made with things you probably already have in your pantry. 

All you need to do is sauté onion in butter then add ground ham. If you’re not familiar with ground ham, it’s just what it sounds like - ham that’s ground up like hamburger. You can’t find it anywhere anymore, though I’ve been told it’s still popular in the Midwest, but it’s super easy to make your own if you have a meat grinder. 

Once the onions are nice and glassy, add canned tomatoes and tomato sauce. Mix that well before you add cooked rice (leftover rice works really well). Fold the rice in, then top with cheese. 

It’s a super versatile recipe, you can use pretty much any cheese you happen to have on hand - another reason why it is so budget friendly. Just sprinkle it on top and pop it in the oven until it’s melty-delicious. 

Super simple and super tasty. The gooey cheese and salty sweet ham are perfectly balanced by the tomatoes, and rice. Just a basic, humble, but unique way of killing some leftovers quickly without much effort. 

Thank you so much, Sally Pierson, for sharing your recipe in your community’s cookbook. If you’re looking for a unique way to use up the rest of your ham, I’ve shared more vintage ground ham recipes, so be sure to check them out below. Enjoy, and I hope this dish inspires you to cook more old recipes.