Easter Feast - Featuring Mom's Baked Ham

What a wonderful day we had at my Mom's house celebrating Easter, of course complete with the usual cast of characters. Although, we were minus our Avery, because she was invited to a friend's lake house for the weekend, it still was a great day spent with family. It's tradition at Mom's house that she will bake a wonderful ham for Easter, that's the ultimate comfort food and each family unit contributes a side dish, which are mostly Mom's recipes. I will share the recipes of each scrumptious dish that everyone prepared and a couple other family favorites as well. I've already posted Aunt Bette's superb crab dip earlier in the blog. What a hit that was. Thank you Bette. That will be a permanent addition to my favorite appetizers I will serve in the future. My addition to the meal was "Sherri's Summer Salad," which also is a recipe I've previously posted. We served the meal with our favorite dinner rolls and for dessert there was carrot cake, chocolate pecan pie and "tudballs" aka donut holes. =) Everything was DELISH! Thanks to everyone for making it another special day and memory. Mom, you always outdo yourself. We appreciate and love you so much! XO

Mom's Baked Ham

Hormel Cure 81 Cooked ham or sometimes we will modify the recipe by using a bone-in, half of a ham butt

1 can pineapple slices ((optional))

1 jar cherries (optional)

4 tbsp vinegar

2 tbsp Brown sugar

4 tbsp prepared mustard

2 tbsp honey

10 whole cloves

Place ham in shallow pan. Cover with foil. Bake at 300 degrees about 20 minutes per pound. The last 30 minutes cut 1/4" deep crosses on the top of the ham. Stick cloves all over the ham. Secure pineapple slices and cherries with toothpicks on top of the ham. Mix together the vinegar, sugar and mustard. Pour over the ham. Bake another 30 minutes, basting often. Cover with foil and let rest for about 10 minutes before carving.

My revised version for a 17 lb boneless ham:

6 TBSP red wine vinegar

3 TBSP brown sugar

6 TBSP Gray Poupon, original and not grainy

3 TBSP Honey

15 whole cloves

We added the marinade at the beginning of the cooking process instead of at the end.  

Patti's Cheesy Potato Casserole (another hand-me down recipe from Mom) or AKA Funeral Potatoes

Yes, you can freeze this casserole. Simply freeze them without the cornflake topping.

When ready to use, thaw in the fridge overnight and bake with the cornflake topping as directed.  

Instead of Corn Flakes for the topping you can substitute crushed potato chips such as Ruffles Potato Chips.  Just add mixture prior to cooking minus the cheese.  The chips should look toasty and not burnt.

 

2 lbs hash brown cut potatoes

1 - 16 oz container sour cream

2 cups cheddar cheese, plus 1/2 cup for the topping

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup 

1 small onion, finely chopped or a bunch of green onions 

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 tsp pepper

3 cups crushed corn flakes cereal

1/4 cup butter, melted

In a very large bowl mix sour cream, 2 cups of the cheese, both soups, onion, garlic and pepper.

Add the hash browns and mix together thoroughly.

Crush the cornflakes in a ziplock bag.

Mix the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese with 3 cups of corn flakes and melted butter.  Reserve for later.

Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13 x 9 " baking dish.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 40 - 50 minutes or until hot and heated through.  

You can coat the corn flake/cheese mixture and spread evenly on top of the potatoes and cook the entire time or you can...

After baking 40 - 50 minute cover top with corn flake/cheese mixture and bake an additional 15 minutes until potatoes are bubbling and top has browned.

Serves 10 - 12

Mike's Green Bean Casserole

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup

4 cups cooked green beans

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup milk

1 - 1/3 cups french fried onions

Mix soup, milk and pepper in a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Stir in beans and 2/3 cup of the fried onions. Bake for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees F. Top with the remaining 2/3 cup fried onions and bake about 5 more minutes, until onions are lightly browned.

Serves 6.

Mom's Deviled Eggs

6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled, cold (easier to cut in half when cold)

3 TBSP mayonnaise

1 - 2 TBSP sweet pickle relish

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Cut eggs lengthwise in half. Slip out yolks and mash with a fork. Mix in mayo, relish, salt and pepper. Fill egg whites with egg yolk mixture, heaping it lightly. Arrange eggs on large serving plate. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.

12 appetizers

Mom's Classic Spinach Rockefeller

Can be prepared a day ahead of time.

4 packages chopped fresh or chopped frozen spinach (10 oz each)

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup fine, dry bread crumbs

1/2 white onion, chopped fine

2 cloves of garlic, chopped fine

2 eggs

Pinch of fresh Thyme

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Dash or two of Tabasco

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 pinches of Accent

1 tsp garlic powder

Salt to taste

Cook spinach as directed on the package or if fresh, steam for 5 - 10 minutes. Drain very well.  In a sauté pan melt the butter and lightly sauté onion and garlic.  Mix the remaining ingredients with the onion, garlic and butter in a bowl. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13 x 9 " baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  If prepared the day before and is refrigerated you might need more cooking time.

Serves 10 - 12

Mom's Russian Jello Salad

1 small pkg. lime jello

3/4 cup boiling water

2 cups mini marshmallows

1 - 3 oz. pkg. cream cheese

1/2 cup carnation milk

1 can crushed pineapple including juice.

1/3 cup mayonnaise

3/4 cup diced bananas

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix together and heat until dissolved the jello, water, marshmallows, and cream cheese. Add remaining ingredients to melted mixture and mix well. Place in refrigerator to gel.

Carrot Cake

1 - 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

3 cups shredded carrots (about 5 medium)

1 cups coarsely chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of one 13x9-inch pan or two 8-inch or 9-inch round pans with shortening; lightly flour. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed about 30 seconds or until blended. Add flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, 1 teaspoon vanilla and the salt; beat on low speed 1 minute. Stir in carrots and nuts. Pour into pan(s). Bake 13x9-inch pan 40 to 45 minutes, round pans 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool rectangle in pan on cooling rack. Cool rounds 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 to 3 teaspoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until smooth and spreadable. Frost 13x9-inch cake or fill and frost round layers with frosting. Store in refrigerator.

Chocolate Pecan PIe

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

2 cups pecan halves

3 large eggs, beaten

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup dark corn syrup

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons good-quality bourbon (optional)

3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

vanilla bean ice-cream for topping

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cover bottom of pie crust with pecans. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and melted butter. Add the corn syrup, sugar, bourbon and the chopped chocolate. Stir until all ingredients are combined. Pour mixture into the pie shell over the pecans and place on a heavy-duty cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for an additional 25 minutes or until pie is set. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Serve slightly warmed, topped with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipping cream.

Chocolate Truffles

6 oz. semisweet baking chocolate or white baking bars (white chocolate), chopped

2 TBSP butter or margarine

1/4 cup whipping (heavy) cream

1 TBSP shortening

1 cup semisweet or milk chocolate chips or white baking chips

Finely chopped nuts or candy decorations, if desired

Cover cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Melt baking chocolate in heavy 2-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Stir in butter until melted; stir in whipping cream. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently, just until thick enough to hold a shape. Drop mixture by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Shape into balls. (If mixture is too sticky, refrigerate until firm enough to shape.) Freeze 30 minutes. Heat shortening and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth; remove from heat. Dip truffles, one at a time, into chocolate. Place on aluminum foil-covered cookie sheet. Immediately sprinkle some of the truffles with finely chopped nuts or decorating candies. Refrigerate truffles about 10 minutes or until coating is set. Drizzle some of the truffles with mixture of 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon milk. Refrigerate just until set. Serve at room temperature. Store in airtight container.