Hamming it up!!

I'm beginning to realize I'm pretty behind on blogging about recipes these days.

This is one I made, well, over a month ago! I had bought a small ham at the market at a great price. Ham's not something I really think to cook unless it's a holiday or special occasion but this little guy was good for a nice meal for my husband & I and enough for some yummy leftovers. We love leftovers here at this house!

Anyway I'm leaving this recipe in tact with the original measurements. Obviously I scaled it down since my ham was not that large. This was a fantastic recipe - so flavorful, easy to make, and the ham was so moist when it came out of the oven. It's a definite keeper!

Fresh Baked Ham with Whisky and Cola Glaze
(from FoodNetwork.com)

1 (8-pound) fresh ham (shank and leg of pork)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Whole cloves
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup whisky
4 cups cola drink
Wild Pecan Rice, Bacon, and Tasso Dressing, recipe follows


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

With a sharp knife, puncture and score the skin of the ham, making parallel 1/2-inch-deep incisions. Turn the ham and score again to make a grid-like pattern.

In a small bowl combine the salt, Essence, pepper, and cayenne. Rub evenly all over the ham. Place the ham, fatty side up, in a large roasting pan. Place 1 clove where the lines intersect on the ham. Rub the sugar evenly over the ham, pressing to pack. Pour 2 cups of cola into the bottom of the roasting pan and bake for 1 hour. In a container, combine the whisky and the remaining 2 cups of cola.

Baste the ham with the whiskey and cola and continue to bake, basting every 15 minutes with the whisky and coke mixture and pan juices, until the ham is cooked through, the skin is crisp and dark, and a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Remove from the oven and let rest at least 20 minutes before carving. To serve, slice the meat thinly across the grain and arrange on a platter.


Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

* 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
* 2 tablespoons salt
* 2 tablespoons garlic powder
* 1 tablespoon black pepper
* 1 tablespoon onion powder
* 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
* 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
* 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Nacho ordinary nachos

In trying to decide what to make for the big game, I was browsing through the Food Network's website as they of course had a whole section dedicated to the Superbowl. Among some of the recipes was this one for Chorizo Bean and Cheese Nachos by Emeril. I don't really like Emeril much to be honest, I thin he's a bit annoying, and thinks he's a lot cooler than he really is. I thought this recipe of his, however, sounded fun, different, and worth trying. I made a few modifications, per usual, and they appear as so below. I only remembered to take a picture after they were half eaten...oops...but at least the picture proves that they were good!

Chorizo, Bean, and Cheese Nachos

1 hot chorizo link removed from casing and crumbled
1 lb mild ground chorizo
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 15oz can pinto beans
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Water
1 bag Tostitos hint of lime tortilla chips
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
1 small white onion, sliced into thin rings
Pickled sliced jalapenos – amount of which to your own taste

In a large skillet, cook the chorizo, garlic, and cumin, stirring, over medium-high heat until the sausage is browned and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Drain about half of the water from the can of beans. To the fat in the pan, add the pinto beans (with remaining water), chili powder, salt, and ½ to ¾ cup water.. Cook over medium heat until warmed through, smashing with the back of a heavy wooden spoon or potato masher until chunky/smooth. Add any additional water if needed to achieve desired consistency. Remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

On a large, oval ovenproof platter or in a large baking dish, spread 1 layer of chips. Top with a layer of 1/2 of the beans, then 1/2 of the sausage, cheeses, onion rings, and chopped jalapenos. Repeat with another layer of chips, beans, sausage, cheese, onions and jalapenos. Bake until the cheeses are melted and the mixture is hot, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven.




p.s. For Sunday night's main attraction I made ribs and chicken wings, they'll show up in the next entry, whenever I get a chance to make it!