I think today I’ll simply sort through my recipes and pull out a few for Spring meals. Hope you like them.
CRUMB CRUSTED BAKED HAM
1 smoked ham half, (about 6 #)
3 cups fresh whole wheat bread crumbs
2 tablespoons dried sage leaves
1 tablespoon dried rosemary leaves
1/3 cup spicy brown mustard
4 tablespoons margarine, melted
Place ham on rack in roasting pan. Bake @ 325 degrees for 1 hour.
Mix bread crumbs, herbs mustard, and margarine in bowl until crumbs are evenly moistened. Spread remaining mustard on ham. Pat crumb mixture on ham.
Bake to 160 degrees, about 1 ½ hours.
HAM FLAMBE
1 21-ounce can cherry pie filling
2 tablespoons brandy
Bake ham according to directions. Thirty minutes before ham is done, spoon pie filling over ham. Continue baking. Just before serving, heat brandy and pour over ham and light!
ORIENTAL CHICKEN
Chicken – 1 medium-sized fryer, cut into serving sized pieces or use boneless chicken
Breasts.
1 cup – plain yogurt
¼ cup – soy sauce
1 teaspoon – ground ginger
1 clove – garlic (chopped fine)
3 tablespoons – honey
Arrange chicken parts in baking dish, skin side up, and set aside.
Put yogurt in bowl and stir in soy sauce, ginger & garlic,
Spread the sauce evenly over the chicken.
Put chicken in cold oven for 1 hour.
After 1 hour remove from oven and remove a ½ cup of pan juices.
Stir honey into the removed juice and re-coat the chicken.
Bake for an additional 30 minutes or until crispy & golden.
(Serve with rice and a steamed green vegetable. If desired, thicken the sweetened pan gravy and put over the rice.)
BASIC LAMB CHOPS
Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt evenly in bottom of skillet.
Add chops and cook on both sides, 2-4 minutes per side for medium-rare.
Serve with rice, mint jelly, etc.
STEAMED BROCCOLI with LIME DRESSING
1 ¼ pounds broccoli ( 1 large bunch)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Coarse salt
Wash and clean broccoli and cut into lengthwise pieces
In a pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Add broccoli pieces. Cover and steam until tender, about 5 minutes. (No steamer basket, then bring to boil in a sauce pan and cook until tender.
Meanwhile whisk together lime juice and sesame oil, season with salt.
Add broccoli to the dressing. Toss lightly to coat, Serve immediately
GREEN BEANS WITH PARSLEY and GARLIC
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound green beans, stem ends trimmed
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons lemon, grated
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Cook green beans in boiling, salted water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain
Heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-low heat.
Add garlic. Cook until starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Return beans to pot.
Add lemon and juice and the two remaining teaspoons of oil and parsley.
Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Serve.
SPINACH and WALNUT SAUTE
2 cloves garlic, sliced
¼ cup walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 pkg (10 oz) fresh spinach, stems removed
2 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 oz (¼ cup) Parmesan Cheese, shredded
In skillet saute garlic and walnuts in oil for 2-3 minutes.
Add spinach and vinegar and saute 2 minutes.
To serve, spoon spinach onto serving platter, top with cheese. (Makes 4 servings.)
ROMAINE LETTUCE with CARROT-GINGER DRESSING
1 medium carrot
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated, peeled
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 head romaine lettuce
Peel and thinly slice carrot to equal ½ cup.
Place carrot in blender with the peeled, finely grated fresh ginger, the rice vinegar, soy sauce, and water. Blend on high until carrot is pureed.
With the blender running, add the 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a steady stream, blending until incorporated.
Cut the lettuce into bit-size pieces.
Divide lettuce among four serving plates and drizzle with dressing Serve immediately (Serves four.)
FRESH FRUIT MEDLEY
1 pint strawberries, hulled and halved
½ pint blueberries
1 banana, sliced
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons orange-flavor liqueur (optional)
Toss together all ingredients
Chill
STRAWBERRIES ROMANOFF
2 quarts fresh strawberries
2 ounces Grand Marnier
16 ounces port wine
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
3 cups heavy whipping cream
Wash, hull and cut strawberries in halves.
Mix Grand Marnier, port wine and ¼ cup sugar in large bowl.
Add strawberries. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Whip cream with remaining 3 tablespoons sugar until soft peaks form. (Reserve 1 cup of whipped cream and refrigerate until time too use as garnish.)
Drain strawberries and discard the liquid. Fold drained berries into remaining whipped cream. Divide between 6 chilled dessert dishes. Top each portion with the reserved whipped cream – (can put into a pastry bag and with a star tip decorate each dish).
PEAR PIE
Pie dough (your favorite recipe, enough for a double 9-inch crust, or purchase prepared crusts.
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cornstarch
6 pears, peeled, cored & sliced
1 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter, cut in pieces
1 egg
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Roll half of the pie dough on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Drape the dough into the pie plate, leaving about an inch overhang.
Combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cornstarch in a bowl and Reserve.
Arrange the pear slices in the pie shell and sprinkle with the reserved dry ingredients.
Drizzle with orange and lemon juice.
Dot with small pieces of butter.
Roll out the remaining pie dough to form the top crust. Moisten the rim of the bottom crust with water. Cover with the top crust, trimming any large amount of excess.
Press the two crusts together lightly and roll the edges under toward the center with your fingers. Crimp the edge decoratively.
Beat egg and cream together.
Glaze top crust lightly with a pastry brush. Cut six 2-inch slits evenly around the top for steam to escape and to test pears for doness.
Bake pie in center of oven for 1 ¼ hours. Cover edges with aluminium foil if the crust becomes too brown. Cool on a wire rack. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
To serve cut into 6 or 8 pieces.
