For several years now, I've spent Easter alone. McDonald's was the only "Easter Dinner" I got. There just wasn't any reason to cook a big meal for one person and I could spend the day doing what I wanted instead.
This year was different. I was finally getting to spend Easter with Handsome and I was going to get to cook!! I was super excited. While I was ready to cook a feast, we are still only 2 people and there just isn't any reason to make a table full of food for 2.
Saturday before Easter, we had a trip to the vet to take care of his farm dog's yearly exam. That took all morning so we were ready for lunch when we ended up home. I was hungry so I pulled out a jar of turkey from the shelf, made some gravy and instant mashed potatoes. Heated up a can of corn and that was lunch. We were full. I started to rethink all the things I had planned for Easter Dinner.
While I had already thawed the ham earlier in the week, I could adjust the other items I intended to make. Instead of the feast that I intended; I downsized my plan. Ham, scalloped potatoes, corn. No dessert. You read that right; no dessert. With the change in the weather, we just haven't been eating as much. So I did not make dessert, nor any fruit salads. Just those 3 things and we were satisfied.
HAM GLAZE: Glazing ham isn't complicated. Maybe my way of doing it is unconventional but it works without making a huge sticky mess. You can use whatever type of jam or jelly you have on hand. I mean that. I've used blackberry, peach, apple, even apple butter once. (Apple butter wasn't as pretty as jam, but the flavor was very good.) Take the lid off and heat the jar in the microwave so the jam will spread easily. (I used my too-loose apple jelly this year; some of the cinnamon vanilla version. It was good.) Dip your spoon into the jam and dribble it over the ham. I used about half when I started the ham and the rest halfway through cooking.
HOW TO ROAST A HAM: I always roast my hams the same way. They can be done in a roaster oven or regular oven. I haven't tried it in a crock pot before but I don't see why that wouldn't work. This works for a whole or half bone-in, smoked, cured, ham. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Find a pan large enough to comfortably hold the ham and some broth. (This particular ham let off quite a bit of broth.) Grease the pan. Place ham cut side down if it's a half. Pour a few ounces of water into the pan to create some steam. Glaze the ham. Cover the ham and pan tightly with greased foil; or the lid if you're using a roaster pan that fits the ham. Roast the ham for 10-15 minutes per pound. (My ham was about 8 pounds so I went almost 2 hours because I wanted the bone to fall out.) About halfway through, glaze the ham again and cover it back up. You will also see if your ham has produced any broth or if you need to add additional water. After the ham is ready, let it rest 20-30 minutes before serving so the meat reabsorbs some of the juices and it is easier to handle while carving. Carve it up and serve.
Now you've eaten and you're very full and ready for a nap. Go take the nap and let the ham completely cool. It will be fine setting out while it cools. Cut the ham chunks away from the bone. There is no pretty way to do this. Just hack away until you have the bone out. Set the bone aside or package it for the freezer for another day. Slice or cube the remaining ham. Trim away the fat and gristle, package them for the freezer to make stock with later. You can add the bone to the trimmings container or keep it out for beans. If you're going to make beans, cube up about 2 cups of ham for that.
Leftover ham ideas: ham salad, ham and beans, can some ham in broth, can some ham and beans, various soups, cubed ham for breakfast hash.... This time, I just cubed everything and kept some aside for beans. The rest went into the freezer. Handsome has been asking for ham salad so I think that's next.
Now go find some beans cause you know what we're doing!
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