Holiday Cooking

Baked Ham with Apricot and Cherry Glaze

Basic Bread Stuffing

Easy Easter Nests

Gingerbread Men

Roasted Squash with Corn Bread Stuffing

Sugar Cookies

Baked Ham

1 fully cooked ham
Whole cloves
Apricot and Cherry glaze

Remove any rind and score fat into diamond effect about ½ inch. Carefully insert whole cloves into each diamond.
Place ham in center of outdoor grill and cook using the indirect method of grilling. Cook a fully cooked ham approximately 9 minutes per pound for an internal temperature of 140 degrees. For a ham that has not been fully cooked, cook it to an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
In the last 30 minutes of cooking, baste ham with orange, pineapple and cherry glaze. Watch carefully not to burn the sauce. Serve ham with apricot glaze.

Apricot and Cherry Glaze
½ cup apricot preserves
½ cup orange juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup cherry juice
Combine ingredients.

Apricot Sauce

1 15 oz can apricots
1 oz apricot brandy

Puree apricots in blender. Add apricot brandy and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes. Add liquid if need.

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Basic Bread Stuffing

Serves 12-14
2 1/2 Cups chicken broth
3 onions, diced
6 Cups diced whole-grain bread
1 Tbs paprika
1 egg or 1/4 Cup egg substitute
salt and pepper to taste
In a skillet over medium high heat, heat 1/2 cup of the chicken broth. Add the onionis and cook for 10 min. or until onions have softened.
In a bowl, comvine the cooked onions, remaining broth, bread, paprika, egg, and salt and pepper. Mix well.
Place mixture inside the cavity of a turkey or place it in a casserole dish. If stuffing is to be baked separately from the turkey, place stuffing in a preheated 350° F oven and bake for 45 min.

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Easy Easter Nests

2 tablespoons butter
3 cups Miniature Marshmallows
4 cup Fruity Cereal (like Post Fruity Pebbles)
1 cup Flake Coconut
1 drop green food coloring
Assorted candies

Preparation:
Microwave butter in a large microwavable bowl on high for about 30 seconds. Add the marshmallow and microwave for an additional 1 -1/2 minutes and stir after 45 seconds. Add the cereal and toss to coat well.
Press firmly into lightly greased muffin pan to for 24 nests; cool.
Put drop of green food coloring into bowl with ½ tsp water. Add coconut and mix.
Fill the nests with coconut and candies.

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Gingerbread Men

3 ¼ cup flour
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger

¼ tsp cloves
1 cup butter ( 2 sticks)
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg ½ cup molasses

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine flour, salt and spice
Cream butter and sugar, scrape down sides...
Add egg and molasses and beat on medium speed until smooth.
Scrape bowl and add the flour mixture
Blend on low speed just until combined; do not over mix.
On floured surface roll out dough to ¼ thickness. With floured cookie cutter, cut gingerbread men.
Use raisins as water.
Icing…
Whisk sugar and milk together.
2/3 cups powered sugar
1 to 2 tsp milk

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Roasted Squash with Corn Bread Stuffing

7 cups corn bread cut into ½ inch cubes
5 acorn squash, cut in half
4 cup boiling water, divided
¾ cup dried cranberries
¾ cup currents
¾ cup raisins
1 cup finely cut celery
1 cup finely cut onion
1 cup finely cut carrot
2 tbs fresh sage
1 cup vegetable broth
¼ cup toasted pecans
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake corn bread cubes on a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray for 30 minutes or until toasted. Turn often to toast all sides.

Cut squash in half. Remove seeds and membrane from inside of squash. Place squash cut side down on 13 by 9 inch baking dish. Add 2 cups of boiling water over sq ash cover and bake for 20 minutes.

Place cranberries, raisins, and current into a bowl and pour 1 cup hot water over them. Set aside for 30 minutes.

In a large nonstick skillet, sauté onions, celery, and carrots over med high heat for 5 minutes. Add sage and sauté for an addition 3 minutes.

Combine corn bread, drained cranberry mixture, and sauté vegetable into bowl. Add 1 cup vegetable stock, toasted pecans, and toss. Adjust seasoning.

Place 1 ½ cups dressing into each acorn squash half. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until squash is done.

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Sugar Cookies

½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 ¾ cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 Tbs milk
½ tsp almond extract
¼ tsp salt
Preheat oven 375 degrees. If using a dark cookie sheet, reduce heat 25 degrees. Cram butter and sugar add egg and mix. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Refrigerate dough for 2 hours. Roll out 1/8 in thick on lightly floured surface. Dip cutters into flour before each use. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Place on cooling rack for 5 minutes. Remove from sheet and cool. Makes 24-30 cookies.

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