HAM
Who can resist a beautifully glazed baked ham on the holiday table? This one is subtly flavored with both honey and orange -- an unbeatable combination.
Ingredients
· 10 lb fully (or partially) cooked bone-in smoked ham
· whole cloves, if desired
· 1 cup brown sugar
· 2/3 cup orange juice
· 1/3 cup honey
· 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
· 2 tsp grated orange zest
Cooking Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F
2. If the ham has thick skin, slice off the top layer, leaving about 1/4-inch (.5 cm) of fat on the meat. Place, fat-side-up on a rack in a roasting pan. With a sharp knife, score the fat in a criss-cross pattern and poke a whole clove into each square, if desired. Pour water into the roasting pan to 1/4-inch (.5 cm) deep. (The water should not touch the ham -- if the rack is too low, just add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan.) Place in the oven and roast, uncovered, for 20 minutes per pound or approximately 3-1/2 hours.
3. While the ham is roasting, make the glaze. In a small saucepan, stir together the brown sugar, orange juice, honey, mustard and orange zest. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. About 45 minutes before the ham is finished roasting, brush with some of the glaze. Continue to baste with the glaze every 10 minutes until the ham is done. (A meat thermometer should read 135 degrees F or 57 degrees C when poked into the thickest part of the ham.) Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
SCALLOPED POTATOES
Seasoned chicken broth and creamy butter make these scalloped potatoes bake up golden and crisp on top with moist and creamy layers. An everyday family favorite, this delicious dish also makes a spectacular side for your holiday table.
Ingredients
· 6 medium potatoes (2-1/2 to 3 lbs.)
· 2 medium onions, sliced
· 1/4 cup butter or margarine
· 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
· 1-1/2 cups chicken broth (homemade or canned)
· salt and black pepper to taste
· 2 cups fresh bread crumbs (coarse)
Cooking Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch (23x33-cm) rectangular baking dish.
2. Scrub potatoes well and slice them very thinly (1/8 inch or 0.25 cm thick). It is not necessary to peel the potatoes, unless you prefer to do so. Place them in a bowl of cold water and set aside.
3. In a medium skillet, sauté sliced onions in 2 tbsp. of butter or margarine over low heat until evenly golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside.
4. In a small saucepan, melt together the remaining 2 tbsp. of the butter or margarine and the flour over medium heat. Whisk in chicken broth, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens and bubbles. Continue to simmer for a minute or two, then remove from heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Drain potatoes completely and layer them as follows: 1/3 of the potatoes, 1/2 of the onions, salt and pepper; 1/3 of the potatoes, remaining onions, salt and pepper; and finally all the remaining potatoes. Pour the sauce evenly over the potatoes and cover the baking dish tightly with foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with bread crumbs and continue baking for an additional 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender and crumbs are crisp and browned.
PEPPERMINT BARK
You'll want to stuff your stockings, gift baskets and cookie tins with this festive peppermint bark that's sure to delight kids of all ages. Drizzle melted semisweet chocolate overtop for a beautiful two-tone effect.
Ingredients
· 10 regular size candy canes
· 2 pounds white chocolate
Cooking Instructions
1. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper. Unwrap candy canes and place in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. With a hammer or rolling pin, crush the candy into chunks (less than 1/4-inch in size). Set aside.
2. In a double boiler or saucepan set over a pot of hot (not boiling) water, melt white chocolate, stirring until smooth. Be careful not to scorch the chocolate, as white chocolate scorches easily. Stir in most of the crushed candy canes, reserving about 1/4 cup of chunks to sprinkle on top.
3. Pour chocolate mixture onto prepared cookie sheet, spreading into an even layer. Sprinkle the reserved chunks on top. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until set.
4. Remove bark from parchment paper and break into chunks by hand. Store in a tightly covered container.
5. Fancy shmancy variation: Drizzle the bark with melted semisweet chocolate before refrigerating for a two-tone zebra-striped effect.
Servings: About 2 lbs.
HAPPY EATING!
