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Monday, April 20, 2015

Citrus Marinated Ham

As we start to transition to summer- It's times to break out the fruit fusion dishes!  This one is easy and fast--Citrus Marinated Ham.  It's featured here as being served with peppered green beans and baked potatoes, but any number of sides would complement this dish.  I hope you enjoy the light and sweet flavors that compose this dish :)

Ingredients:

2lbs baked and sliced ham
1 can green beans
4 potatoes
3tbs butter

For marinated:

2 organes (for zest AND juice)
1tsp mustard powered
1tsp nutmeg
1tbs cinnamon
1tsp basil
1tbs black pepper
1tsp cayenne peper
1tbs sugar

Serves: 4
Time: 20 min (post marinade)

This recipe also does really well with chicken breast.  However, as those are marinated raw, please be careful to keep the meat chilled, and cook thoroughly :)  I hope you enjoy this easy, summer-loving dish as much as we do!

Directions:

1) In a large ziplock bag or deep dish pan, combine marinade ingredients.  Whisk together with an actual whisk, or a fork will do :)

2) Place the baked ham slices in the marinated.  It's best to cover the meat with the marinated, but if the two oranges don't do it, rather than buy another orange, just flip the meat over periodically.

3) Continue to marinated for whatever time you can.  At least 30 minutes and no more than 36 hours.  If you are marinated for a longer time, it's best to do so in a ziplock bag.  For this recipe I marinated in a deep dish pan for about 4 hours. As the meat is already cooked, it will take up the new flavors more slowly.  However, you also not need to worry about spoilage.

4) During this time you can prep the green beans by rinsing the can of beans and placing them in a microwavable container.  Add 2tbs of butter and a 1tbs of black pepper to them and set them aside.  Once the meat is almost done cooking at the end, you only need to microwave the green beans for a minutes, stir, and serve them hot!  During the marinade time is also a good time to preheat and/or start baking the potatoes if you choose.

5) Add a 1tbs of butter to a large frying pan.  On medium heat, melt and distribute the butter around the pan.

6) Add the orange zest to the frying pan and sauté the zest for a few minutes to soften them. (As pictured on the right.)

7) Add the marinade to the soften zest BEFORE you add the ham.  The reason for this is that you wan the meat to stay moist but to also finish infusing the ham with the marinade, which will work better with heat.

8) Once the marinade has come to a light simmer, place the baked ham slices in the frying pan and cook until warm.

9) This is a great time to cook the beans, and check that the potatoes are done.  If the potatoes are NOT done-- You will want to finish them in the microwave. 

10) Serve hot!  The rest of the cooked marinade make a great gravy once thickened with heat.

Cost:
ham                   $5
butter                 $0.20
seasoning          $0.60
breen beans       $1
potatoes             $1
oranges             $0.70         
Total                 $8.50
Per serving       $2.12




Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Russian Tea Cakes with Jam

These are an all year cookie-- Easy to do, fast, and travel well!  Customize them with your favorite jam, and you will have a buttery goodness treat whenever you want! Since there is no egg in them, or milk, they are party friendly!

Ingredients:

1c softened butter
1/2c sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2c all-purpose flour
2/3c seedless jam or choice

Makes: 48+ cookies
Time: 30min total

These cookies store very well in an air tight container-- for up to two week!  They go great with tea, milk, champagne, and by themselves.  Can you tell they are one of my favorites ;)

Directions:

1)Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2)Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  the dough should be crumbly but firm.

3) Hand shape into small balls of dough.  Think about 1 heaping tables spoon per cookie.  When you roll the dough in your hands, it should form a ball easily that holds form.

4) Place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet.  There is enough butter in these that the baking sheet does NOT need to be greased :)

5) Bake for 10 min.

6) Use a spoon to create a pocket in each cookie.

7) Bake another 2-5 minutes.

8) Let the cookies cool before you add the jam to the pocket you created via spoon.

9) Serve these cookies the next day... They are best having had time to "set."

Cost:

Total               $2.35
Per cookie      $0.05... That's five cents a cookie!!