Kitchen Kapers with Nancy

Doing your own baking of a ham is not only easy, but it is very economical! And it is a terrific project for you and your family. If this is the first time for you, most of the experts advise you to consult your local butcher in choosing the right ham for your circumstances. Here are some basics: If you get a ham already cooked, you simply need to reheat it to 145 degrees F. Generally, however, when you’re ready to bake a ham, according to Allrecipes.com, you’ll need just four ingredients (ham, cloves, sugar, and water!). See below for instructions on how to make the best baked ham of your life. Happy HAM to all, and to all, a GOOD APPETITE! 

We have a wonderful recipe for Pasta e Fagioli from Michele Boudalis, whom we thank for her lovely authentic recipes. This one is a traditional Italian soup whose main ingredients are pasta and beans. I remember once having Pasta e Fagioli, and I thought it was the best “soup” I’d ever tasted! 

Beth Walters contributed Evie’s Garlic Cheese Grits to First Presbyterian’s Treasures and Pleasures, one of our very favorite cookbooks. 

Margaruite Nowell’s Broccoli Salad looks scrumptious! Make it the day before you want to serve it. We found this recipe in Northside Baptist Church’s book of recipes. I am going to prepare this lovely salad for our Thanksgiving bash at my brother’s house. Along with a couple other favorites our family loves! 

From Southern Living’s 1996 Annual Recipes, you will want to try Lee Ann Robinson’s Twin Mountain Muffins. Lee Ann is from La Grange, Georgia. There are three additional flavors for this recipe: Basic; Pepper-Cheese; Bacon-Cheese; Herb. See below for these options. 

BAKED HAM 

Recipe from Allrecipes.com 

1) Ham: You’ll need the rump portion of a bone-in ham. If your ham is larger or smaller than 12 pounds, you’ll need to make some adjustments. 2) Cloves: Whole cloves add warmth and a certain depth of flavor. 3) Glaze the ham. See below for options. Alternatively, you can pack the ham with Sugar: For a simple glaze, brown sugar lends more warmth and welcome sweetness. Then, 4) Water: Use about an inch of water in the pan. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all, as different roasting pans will need different amounts.  

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. 1) If you haven’t already glazed your ham with sugar, score it with a sharp knife to allow the glaze to penetrate. If the glaze is too thick to spread easily, microwave for half a minute in the microwave; a little longer if still too thick. Stir the glaze after 30 seconds. The glazes below look very inviting. 

How to Cook Ham in the Oven: Here’s a very brief overview of what you can expect when you bake a ham at home: 1) Press cloves into the top of the ham. 2) Pack with brown sugar. 3) Add water to the roasting pan. 4) Bake in the preheated oven until the ham is done. That means internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit with an instant read thermometer. If you don’t have one, get one. They’re cheap, and you’ll need it for the rest of your life unless you want to hire your own personal chef! 

How Long to Bake Ham: A 12-pound ham should be done after about 4.5 to 5 hours in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center (not touching the bone) should read at least 160 degrees F. Tent with foil during baking if the sugar begins to darken too quickly.  

Find the thickest part of the ham and place it to get a true reading for the temperature of the meat. Hold the thermometer in place for a few seconds to get a true reading of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit.  

BAKED HAM GLAZES 
Recipe from The Original Country Cookbook
Published by Paragon Products, Inc., Pompano Beach 

MICHELE BOUDALIS’ PASTA E FAGIOLI 
Recipe from Reader of The Apopka Chief newspaper

2 pounds ground beef 
1 tablespoon olive oil 
1-1/2 cups chopped onion 
2 cups chopped carrots 
2 cups diced celery 
28 ounces canned diced tomatoes 
2 cups canned red kidney beans 
2 cups canned white kidney beans (or any other white bean) 
96 ounces (equal to 3 quarts) beef broth (three 32-oz cartons) 
1 tablespoon dried oregano 
2 teaspoons pepper 
1-1/2 teaspoons Tabasco or hot sauce 
48 ounces marinara sauce 
8 ounces Ditalini pasta (or shell pasta) 
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons parsley 

1) Sauté the beef in oil in 10-quart or larger pot until the beef starts to brown. 2) Add the onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes.  Simmer for about 10 minutes. 3) Drain and rinse the beans and add to the pot along with the beef broth, oregano, pepper, tabasco sauce, marinara and pasta. 4) Add the chopped parsley. 5) Simmer until the celery and carrots are tender. 6) Takes about an hour. 

BETH WALTERS’ EVIE’S GARLIC CHEESE GRITS 
Recipe from First Presbyterian Church of Apopka, Treasures and Pleasures 

1 cup fine grits (cook according to package directions) 
1 stick butter 
1 roll garlic cheese 
2 eggs, beaten 
1/4 cup milk 
Salt to taste 
Tabasco sauce to taste 
1/2 pound sharp cheese, shredded 
Paprika 

Melt the roll of garlic cheese in butter. Mix and season to taste with salt and Tabasco sauce. Mix eggs and milk together and stir in the cooked grits. Stir in melted garlic cheese mixture. Pour into casserole. Top with shredded cheese and sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 300 degrees for 40 minutes. Serves six. 

MARGARUITE NOWELL’S BROCCOLI SALAD 
Recipe from Northside Baptist Church’s cookbook 

1 large bunch broccoli florets 
1 cup raisins 
1 cup celery 
2 cups grapes, cut in half 
1 cup almonds, slivered 
1 cup sunflower seeds 
1 small red onion 
3 or 4 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled 

Dressing for broccoli salad: 

1 cup mayonnaise 
1/2 cup white sugar 
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 

Mix all the salad ingredients together. Put in crumbled bacon. Pour salad dressing in and toss. Refrigerate for 24 hours. 

TWIN MOUNTAIN MUFFINS 

Recipe from Southern Living’s 1996 Annual Recipes 

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened 
1/4 cup sugar 
1 large egg 
2 cups all-purpose flour 
4 teaspoons baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 cup milk 

1) Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; add egg, beating just until blended. 2) Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, ending with flour mixture. 3) Spoon batter into greased muffin pans, filling two-thirds full. 4) Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks. Yield: 1 dozen. 

• Pepper-Cheese Muffins: Reduce the sugar to 2 tablespoons; stir in 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers, and the flour mixture. 

• Bacon-Cheese Muffins: Reduce the sugar to 2 tablespoons; stir in 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese and 3 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled, with the flour mixture. 

• Herb Muffins: Reduce the sugar to 2 tablespoons; stir in 1 teaspoon instant minced onion, 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, with the flour mixture.