Apricot Brown Sugar Honey Ham

This is the ham from our Thanksgiving dinner.  It was simple and fast, which is a bonus on a busy day like Thanksgiving.  The marinade can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to use.  I can't wait to make another one on a busy weeknight.  This recipe was adapted from Ina Garten.

Ingredients:

10 lb fully cooked spiral cut smoked ham on the bone
4 garlic cloves
1 cup apricot jam
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 orange zested
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place the ham in the bottom of a heavy roasting pan (don't use the rack).

In a food processor, add all marinade ingredients and process until smooth.  Pour 1/2 of marinade over the ham and bake for 45 minutes.  Pour the remaining glaze over the ham, cover with foil, and cook another 15 minutes.  Serve hot or at room temperature.  Refrigerate leftovers.  Enjoy!

Tip:  You can use the ham bone and leftover ham in homemade pinto beans.

Ham and Veggie Quiche Cups

These crustless quiche cups have been around forever, or at least since the low carb craze!  You can add whatever meats and veggies you have in the fridge.  I used my favorites, and as always, topped mine with salsa.  This recipe makes 8-9 regular muffin size quiche cups, depending on how many fillings you add.

Ingredients:

6 extra large eggs
1/4 cup skim milk
kosher salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
dash of garlic powder
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 cup reduced fat finely shredded colby/jack cheese
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup cooked ham, diced
2 T red bell pepper, chopped
2 T green bell pepper, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
6 button mushrooms, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Generously spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and milk.  Add the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and shredded cheese.  Mix together and set aside.

In a skillet over medium heat, add 1 tsp olive oil.  Add the ham and all the chopped veggies, and saute for 4 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Stir the ham and veggie mixture into the beaten eggs.  Use a small ladle or measuring cup to scoop the egg and veggie mixture into the prepared muffin tin, about 2/3 full. 
Note:  The eggs will puff up while baking, but will fall slightly when cooling.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.  Run a knife around the edges of each quiche to help it release.  Let cool in pan for a few minutes.  Garnish with fresh chopped tomatoes and scallions.  Enjoy! 

Quick and Easy Brown Sugar Honey Glazed Ham

I was making my daughters this simple weeknight meal.  Madison asked me if I put this on my blog yet.  I had not even thought about it.  I make this often as it's one of their favorites.  It's so quick and easy to make.  I bought a cooked boneless half ham over the weekend to make Pinto Beans and Ham.  The rest was saved to make this Brown Sugar Honey Glazed Ham for my kiddos.  I served honey baked beans and sliced apples with it.  I only cook 2 large slices of ham in the skillet at a time, and pour the sauce over those slices.  Then I make another batch of sauce for the next 2 slices of ham.  

Ingredients:

2 thick cut slices cooked, boneless ham
1 T butter
1 T brown sugar
1 T honey

Cut a small slit into each side of the ham.  This prevents it from bubbling up in the middle so the entire surface can cook.  In a large skillet, add the butter, brown sugar, and honey.  Stir together until it melts together.  Add the 2 pieces of ham and cook 4 minutes.  Flip them over and cook another 4 minutes.  Remove to a plate and pour the sauce over top.  Cook as many as you like!  They are also great in your lunch box served cold.  Enjoy!

Sausage and Cannellini Bean Chili

I was coming down with a cold after Thanksgiving week.  I needed a hot lunch to help me get through Saturday at home alone with my 3 kids.  We had been eating leftover ham and macaroni cheese for 2 days straight.  It was time for a warm and comforting one pot meal.  I looked in the pantry, and I looked in the fridge.  The only protein I had thawed out was some Jimmy Dean ground Italian sausage.  I bought an extra one when I was doing our Thanksgiving shopping because I saw Aaron McCargo from Big Daddy's Kitchen make these Gravy and sausage-stuffed stuffing that I wanted to try.  Maybe I will try them another time!

I decided to make a sausage and cannellini bean chili using a red sauce base instead of a chicken stock base.  I just used what I had on hand and that I know my kids will enjoy too.  So this is what I came up with.

Ingredients:

16 oz package ground Italian sausage
1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 button mushrooms, sliced (or more!)
29 oz can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
2 - cans Bush's Cannellini beans (my favorite brand of beans), drained and rinsed
1 T chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp Mexican oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
dash cayenne pepper or pinch of red pepper flakes
kosher salt to taste
black pepper to taste
shredded cheese - for topping

In a large soup pot, brown sausage.  Add onions and mushrooms and cooked until onions are translucent.  Add garlic and cook another minute.  Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Cannellini beans, and spices.  Stir well, bring to a boil, and lower heat to medium low.  Simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until sauce has reduced and thickened.  Serve up in big soup bowls and top with shredded cheese.  This is great with some corn bread or crackers on the side.  Enjoy!

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Tailgating Time - The Tiny Skillett

Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving was a success!  Our family and friends joined us for a day full of fun, food, and Dallas Cowboys football. I love my family! Here's what we did...

The week before, my girls made some salt dough Christmas tree ornaments to give to our family and friends on Thanksgiving day. 

The menu was finalized, and only one item didn't make it to the table...the caramel apple pie.  We already had 3 desserts, which was plenty for 12 people.  

Thanksgiving Dinner 2010

Appetizers

Spinach Dip with Tortilla Chips

Chilled Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce

Cheese/Salami/Cracker Platter

Fruit Tray with Thanksgiving Fruit Dip

Dinner

Bill’s Famous Deep Fried Turkey

Honey Baked Spiral Ham

Country Dressing

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Turkey Gravy

Macaroni and Cheese

Green Bean Casserole

Vegetable & Tomato Tian

Sweet Potato Casserole

Cranberry Sauce

Dinner Rolls

Desserts

Caramel Apple Pie

Coconut Cream Pie

Maple Pecan Pie

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce

Fresh Whipped Cream And/Or Vanilla Ice Cream

 

The night before Thanksgiving, my oldest daughter helped me make all this good stuff:

Cranberry Mandarin Orange Sauce

Coconut Cream Pie

Maple Pecan Pie

Pumpkin Cheesecake (topped with caramel sauce later)

The dinner rolls were also prepared and put in the fridge to rise overnight. 

The tables were set

The Thanksgiving wreath I made earlier that day was on the front door to welcome our family and friends

And it's finally time for some shut eye before finishing up in the morning! ZZZZZzzzzzZZZZZzzzzzz

I woke up bright and early to finish preparing the rest of the side dishes for our big dinner.  The ladies in the family set up all the appetizers on the kitchen table. 

My girls were hungry and thirsty...they dug right in

The girls patiently waited at the front door for our family to arrive

Family arrived...

Bill fried up our turkey

Just look at this big moist Turkey with crispy skin!

While the ladies helped me finish up the rest of the meal. 

The girls are ready to eat

The food's hot and ready...amazingly so!

Bill's Fried Turkey

Honey Glazed Ham

Country Dressing

Mom's Cheesy Green Bean Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole

Vegetable and Tomato Tian

Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Turkey Gravy

Bill's Pea Salad

After the big Turkey dinner, we were all stuffed. It was time to relax and enjoy some family fun time. Our girls put on a concert for us. Our Taylor wants to be the next Taylor Swift...

and Jordyn will be her backup musician...

while Madison watches with pride...

 

I'm so thankful for my family! I love them all so much!

Pinto Beans & Ham

I'm from the South...Texas to be exact.  I grew up eating pinto beans and ham.  If my mom asked me what I wanted for dinner, I would usually say beans.  That means a big simmering pot of pinto beans with chunks of ham.  It's salty and delicious.  My mom walked me through the process so I could make some for my family last night.

Ingredients:

1 bag dried pinto beans
1/2 package bacon (about 5 slices), sliced into pieces
1 white onion, diced
8 jarred sliced jalapeno peppers, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups water
1 lb ham, cut into small chunks 
pepper
kosher salt
Tabasco pepper sauce (optional)

Toppings:
diced white onion
diced tomatoes
cooked bacon

Rinse the beans and discard of any broken pieces or strange debris.  Add beans to a large bowl and cover completely with water (at least 2 inches above beans).  Let them sit on the counter for the day, at least 6-8 hours.

If you don't have all day to wait for them to soak, you can do the quick soak method, which only takes a little over an hour.  Rinse the beans and discard of any broken pieces or strange debris.  In a large stock pot over high heat, add the beans and cover with about 4 cups of water.  Bring to a rapid boil and let boil for 2 minutes.  Turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 1 hour.  

When you are ready to cook the beans, drain the water and rinse them again.  Set aside.  In a large dutch oven or stock pot over medium high heat, add the sliced bacon and cook until crispy.  Remove the bacon and set aside for later.  Add the onion, garlic, and jalapenos.  Cook for a few minutes.  Add the beans, diced ham, 8 cups water, and pepper to the pot.  Bring to a boil and lower heat to medium low heat.  Cook for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours until beans are nice and tender, stirring occasionally.  Taste for seasoning (so you will know how much salt to add since ham is so salty).  Add more salt and black pepper, if needed.  You can also add the Tabasco pepper sauce now, if desired.

Ladle up some beans in a big soup bowl and top with diced onion, tomatoes, and crispy bacon...or not.  It's completely optional, but that's the way I prefer it.  Serve with some cornbread to help soak up all that good bean juice.  Enjoy! 

By the way, my husband said "these are REALLY good...we should eat these every night...it would help us lose weight, right?"  

Ham, Provolone & Carmelized Onion Hoagie

Hubby's Rainy Day Lunch

It rained all last night and all this morning.  Most of the streets around our house were flooded and closed.  So instead of sending my hubby out to pick us up some take-out lunch from a restaurant, I decided to make some hot sandwiches.  You don't need a recipe for this sandwich, but here's how I made it.

Ingredients:

Slices of deli ham
Slices of provolone cheese
1/2 yellow onion, sliced into half rings
1 T butter
1 tsp olive oil
Salt
Peper
Paprika
Cayenne pepper
Garlic powder
Mayonnaise
Hoagie buns

Preheat oven broiler to 400 degrees.  

In a skillet, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat.  Add sliced onions, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper.  Cook onions until golden brown and caramelized, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  

Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with foil.  Split the hoagie buns in half.  Drizzle insides of bread with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder.  Broil in oven until nicely toasted, about 3 minutes.  Remove and set aside.  

When the onions are caramelized, place in a small bowl and set aside.  Put 2-3 slices of ham in same skillet.  Cook on both sides for 1-2 minutes.  I used 2 pieces of ham on my sandwich and 4 slices on my husband's.  Cook all the ham and set aside.  

Spread mayonnaise on the top half of the hoagie bun and set aside.  On the bottom half of hoagie, layer ham, caramelized onions, and provolone cheese.  Broil in oven until cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.  

Remove and assemble your sandwiches.  Enjoy!