Holiday Ham

With the holiday season fast approaching, I thought this was the perfect time to repost this recipe. The ham is bargain-priced, but tastes like you waited in line at the ham store and paid 5 times more.
During the holidays, many stores have specials on spiral-sliced hams. Buy two, this recipe is enough to glaze two. Do NOT use the glaze that is often included in the package, use this recipe instead.

1 fully cooked shank half ham, bone in (pre-sliced)
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1/4 teaspoon paprika
dash ground ginger
dash ground allspice

Mix the sugar and spices in a small bowl. Place the ham flat side down onto a large baking sheet. Rub the sugar/spice mixture all over the outside of the ham. Use a blowtorch… yes, a blowtorch, on medium flame, to caramelize the sugar on the outside of the ham. You can use the small little torches that are sold in kitchen supply stores for crème brule, or, you can go to the garage and borrow your husband’s blowtorch.
Carefully wave the flame back and forth over the ham so that the sugar bubbles and browns, but does not burn. Turn the baking sheet around so that the entire outside of the ham is glazed. Rub additional sugar/spice mixture onto the ham and continue with the caramelizing process. Repeat until the entire ham is covered with glaze.
Reheat the ham in the oven as stated on the ham package.
I usually bring one ham to share at a gathering and keep one at home for the family because there are never any leftovers to bring home.
I originally found this recipe on a website some years ago and it is requested by family every holiday.

You can see other delicious recipes at Gayle’s Grocery Cart Challenge
.

Recipe

This is my family's favorite recipe for chicken. I try to make at least 2 at a time so that I can have leftovers for chicken salad or sandwiches. Great when whole chickens are on sale!

Tasty Roast Chicken

Wash and dry 2 whole chickens.
Rub chicken inside and out with whatever seasoning you prefer. I use lemon pepper seasoning mixed with onion and garlic powder.
Place in large baggies, and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
Place chickens in roasting pan, stuff half of an onion in each chicken cavity.
Roast at 250 degrees F for 5 hours, uncovered. (chicken should be at an internal temp of at least 180)
Let stand 10 minutes prior to carving.

See more delicious recipes here.

Rainbow Jello Recipe, plus bonus Margarita Pie

I meant to post this recipe earlier, but just haven't had the time.
Here is the recipe for the Rainbow Jello. (or whatever colors you decide to make it)

Begin with 7 packages (3 1/2 oz) of Jello. (I've only used the regular, never tried the sugar-free)
and 1 can of evaporated milk (NOT sweetened condensed)

Layer 1: Dissolve 1st package of Jello in 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Pour into 9x13 pan.
Refrigerate.

Layer 2 (creamy layer): Dissolve Jello in 1 cup boiling water. Mix in 1/2 cup evaporated milk.
Let cool to almost room temp and carefully pour onto first layer.
Refrigerate again.

Continue alternating Layer 1 and 2 , finishing with a Layer 1. You will have 7 layers in all.

Tips:
- Use whatever colors/flavors you want in order to create your desired effect, Rainbow; red/white/blue; red/white/green; school colors, etc...
-I often use the following flavors (in this order) for rainbow layers, black cherry, cherry, orange, lemon, lime, berry blue, grape.
-Make sure each layer is firm before adding the next layer, and cool the liquid Jello before pouring onto the previous layer or they will mix.
-The flavor that makes the best white layer (for red, white, blue) is pineapple because it is a very light color. The 2nd best is peach (peach is used in the photo).
-Use another pan such as a Bundt pan if you want. When it's firm, place the bottom of the pan in warm water for a few minutes then invert it onto a plate.
-Ensure that your refrigerator shelf is lever, or use a towel under one side of the pan to keep the pan level.
-It may look like it takes forever, but it is super easy and doesn't take long. You can complete it during an evening of TV viewing or an afternoon of housecleaning. Make a layer, next commercial break start another layer, next commercial break pour that layer, next break begin another layer and so on. You can wait hours between layers if you need to.


OK, here's the bonus recipe that was requested so many times at the 4th of July BBQ:


Margarita Pie

crust:
½ cup butter, melted
1 ¼ cup crushed pretzels
¼ cup sugar

Mix all together and press into a pie pan. Chill

Filling:
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup margarita mix
juice of 2 limes
zest of 1 lime
3-4 Tbs tequila (to taste)

Mix filling ingredients together. Fold in one small container of Cool-Whip.

Fill pie shell with filling and chill at least 4 hours in refrigerator or 2 in freezer.

Let sit at room temp a few minutes before slicing.

the Great Cookie Swap

Trying has posted a Great Cookie Swap. I would like to share a recipe for Nut Goodie Bars. Thy taste very much like the candy bar I would buy as a child. When I was young, my Aunt Helen would make these every Christmas. Now, I make them every year. They are very rich, so most people eat only a small bar, but I can eat the entire pan if I don't stop myself.

12 oz Chocolate Chips
12 oz butterscotch Chips
2 cups peanut butter
1/2 lb butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp maple flavoring
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 small pkg. vanilla pudding (not instant)
2 lbs powdered sugar
1 lb salted peanuts

Melt together chocolate and butterscotch chips and peanut butter. Pour half of the mixture into a large cake pan and refrigerate. Reserve the remainder for the top layer. Combine melted butter, pudding mix and milk over low heat for 1 minute. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and maple flavoring. Beat with electric mixer util well blended. Spread over cooled chocolate layer. Refrigerate 10 minutes. Add salted nuts to remaining chcolaate mixture and spread over second layer. Refrigerate. Cut into squares.

I've looked at other recipes linked over at Trying's place, and I can't wait to get cooking.

Apricots

I hadn't been to that corner of the yard for a couple days... ALL of the apricots were ripe. I guess that's what happens when the afternoon temps reach over 100 degrees for two days in a row. Speed-ripening.
All of the plums ripened as well.
I picked a million apricots, give or take, and just as many plums. The trees look as if they haven't been touched.
I'm in the process of making a batch of apricot sauce and a batch of plum-apricot jam.
My favorite is apricot sauce over vanilla ice cream...mmmmmm.
I have a Kerr Jar recipe book that was published in the 1940's. I need to scan it because it's falling apart. My mom canned and/or froze everything she could get her hands on. I remember fondly the assembly lines in the kitchen.
I don't remember canning anything last year. It was at the beginning of the deployment and I was barely holding it together. Later, I got into a groove.
I can't wait for a nice bowl of vanilla ice cream with apricot sauce later tonight. I emptied my desk of work last night, so I am free to snuggle on the sofa with Stuntman and eat ice cream. I'm sure we can think of a way to burn the calories.

I am so pregnant

OK, I think I just heard the thud of Stuntman falling over by just typing that title.
I'm not really pregnant, pregnant... but my new favorite lunch would have been perfect when I was!

For E1, I craved spicy buffalo wings... with E2, Chinese food, and E3, fruit.
I craved beer with all three, but didn't drink any.

Now I've been eating a quesadilla for lunch filled with jalepeno jelly, sliced apple, and a touch of monterey jack cheese. If I didn't know better, I would think that I was pregnant.

sorry for the title... I don't think another baby will be joining us around here.
My doctor told me that I'll be hitting menopause in less than 10 years, based on my blood tests... that was 9 years ago. Oh, the joy of anticipation.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hubby is a huge fan of chocolate chip cookies. Chewy ones, not cakey.
This is the best Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe that I have used…ever.

I originally found the recipe on Allrecipes.com
but made a few changes. I use less chocolate chips…mainly because they would just melt shipping them to the sandbox if there were as many as the recipe calls for.

I’ve sent these a few times. Each big cookie is in it’s own bag and then wrapped in bubble-wrap. They arrived in perfect condition…and lasted mere minutes.

Six are in a package leaving today.

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Brunch recipe

AWTM asked for brunch potluck recipes and I recalled my favorite fancy brunch dish that I make. I decided that since my paper recipe is becoming tattered and stained, it would be a good idea to type it now while I still have it.
here it is:

Phyllo Sausage –Egg Bake

1 Tbs butter
1 medium red pepper, chopped
1 medium (1/2 cup) onion, chopped
4 oz. (1 ½ cups) sliced fresh mushrooms
½ lb sausage (I usually use a medium-spice breakfast type, but you can use Italian or whatever you like)
5 eggs
4 oz (1cup) shredded Monterey jack cheese
10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed,drained (can use broccoli instead)
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 tbs parsley flakes
20 frozen phyllo pastry sheets, thawed
¾ - 1 cup butter, melted

In a large skillet over medium heat melt 1 Tbs butter. Saute red pepper, onion and mushrooms until tender, remove mixture and put it aside. In same skillet, brown sausage until no longer pink, drain. Add to mushroom mixture. In medium bowl, beat eggs lightly, stir in Monterey jack cheese and mushroom-sausage mixture
In another medium bowl, mix together spinach, ricotta and parsley.
Unroll phyllo sheets, cover with plastic wrap or towel.
Place 1 phyllo sheet in 13x9-inch baking dish, folding to fit if necessary. B+rush with melted butter, repeat with 4 more sheets of phyllo dough, brushing butter between each layer. Spread half of mushroom-sausage-egg mixture on top of dough, layer 5 more sheets of phyllo dough, brushing butter between each layer. Spread all of the spinach/ricotta mixture. 5 more layers of phyllo dough and brushed butter. Remaining mushroom-sausage-egg mixture. 5 more layers of phyllo dough with butter brushed between each layer. Brush top with butter. Score top of phyllo dough in diamond shape.
You can refrigerate this up to 24 hours in advance before baking.
Bake at 350 F for 50-60 minutes or until top is nice golden brown
9-12 good size servings, more if cut smaller.
I double this recipe all the time and bake in my giant lasagna pan.
Of course, this is the recipe I use each time but I usually up the amounts of the Monterey jack cheese and the sausage.
More sausage + more cheese = yummy

Oh, another great to impress brunch recipe is fruit pizza. Especially now that it's summer.
Tube of sugar cookie dough, spread out into circle and bake as 1 big cookie.
cool and spread with whipped cream cheese that has been mixed with a little sugar and lemon juice (both to taste)
Top with fresh fruit- whatever pattern you like, blueberries, kiwi, strawberries, whatever is in season.
Warm a jar of apricot jam in the microwave and brush it on top for a glaze.

OhOh, another impressive recipe... baked brie
Take a wheel of brie, slice horizontally to make 2 wheels.
Spread a few tablespoons of apricot jam in the middle and sandwich the pieces together.
Open a can of crescent rolls, press the seams together.
Wrap the brie wheel in the rolls like a present, place seam side down on a cookie sheet.
You can decorate the top with the extra crescent dough, I've rolled it out and used cookie cutters. I think the prettiest was overlapping leaves. Brush the top with egg wash.
Bake according to the crescent roll package until golden brown.
Serve with water crackers , a nice time to use the pretty little cheese knives you have laying around in the junk drawer too.