Such a Ham

When my husband and I were first dating, we would go out to dinner every year with his dad's family a week or so before Christmas. We didn't see each other often, and it was a great way to catch up. However, his grandfather, grandmother, and uncle all passed within a relatively short span of time, and after that the get-togethers sort of trailed off. I missed everyone, so this year I told my husband I wanted to have them all over here for dinner. It's cheaper than going out, and it meant I would get to cook - and make sure everything was GF.

Naturally, given that I'd be feeding ten people, I wanted something simple that would go far. I chose ham. Why? Because it's relatively inexpensive and difficult to mess up; and because pork is delicious. I may or may not have gone a little bit overboard in buying a ham that was 14.15 pounds. Quite possibly I'll be eating ham for the next month.

For sides, I made potato soup (my mother-in-law's favorite), and roasted broccoli. Which, by the way, is my  new favorite food. I didn't add the Parmesan or pepper like the recipe calls for, but you knock yourself out with it. That link is the recipe for the broccoli, but I just kind of ad libbed the ham and soup, so here are the (approximate) recipes. Remember, all measurements are eyeballed. Adjust as needed to taste.

Sweet & Savory Apple Baked Ham

• 1 semi-boneless, heat & serve ham (maybe get only as much as you need - although the 14 pounder was gorgeous)
• 1/2 c beef broth
• 1/4 c apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp dried rosemary (crushed)
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 3 Tbsp orange juice
• 2 red delicious apples, sliced

Preheat the oven to 325. Place ham in a large roasting pan. Combine all ingredients and pour over ham. Place apple slices around ham in the pan. Cook for 18-24 minutes per pound. Check every 30-60 minutes and baste as need. Add more broth, vineger, and/or juice if it starts to run dry. Let sit for 30 minutes after removing, then carve and serve.

 

 

Stephane's Slow Cooker Potato Soup

• 5 lb bag of potatoes (a few potatoes per person is a good guideline)
• 1 yellow or orange pepper, roughly chopped
• 4-5 green onions, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 tsp celery salt
• 1 c milk
• 2 c broth (veggie, chicken or beef - I adjust based on what I'm serving the soup with. In this case, I went with beef)

Wash and peel the potatoes (or have your hubby peel them like I did), and cut them into chunks. Place in a pan, and fill with enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil, and let the potatoes cook for about 30 minutes - until they are fork tender. Drain all but about 1/4 c of the water from the pan, and mash the potatoes. It's ok to leave chunks here - I like them in my soup. In a food processor (or a blender), combine milk, broth, celery salt, garlic, onions, and pepper. Blend. Pour mashed potatoes and broth mixture into the slow cooker. You can leave it on keep warm, or put it on low. Because the potatoes are already hot, it cooks pretty well. If you don't have a slow cooker, you can always just add the broth mixture on the stove and let it simmer for a bit.

 

 

 

While there was no leftover potato soup or broccoli, there was a ton of leftover ham. So last night we had a friend over for ham, roasted broccoli, and rice with roasted peppers that was cooked in the ham drippings (with the fat drained off). It's times like these that I'm so thankful for all the incredibly delicious foods I can still eat. And you will be too, if you just remember this: bacon, wine, and (most) chocolates are gluten free. Enjoy!