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

Winter Biscotti with Orange Zest and Crandberries

T'is the season to embrace hot beverages and sweet treats!  This recipe is a new found family recipe... aka it comes from my husbands side!  I hope you fall in love with the biscotti as much as I feel in love with the chef!

Ingredients:

1/2c    orange zest
6        eggs
6.5c   flour
2c      sugar
1c      dried cranberries
2tbs   baking soda
1c      vegetable oil
1tbs   extract (usually vanilla)
2tbs   fruit liquor (optional)

Serves: a party!
Time: 1 hour, better chilled over night

This is actually a double batch, because why would you want less!  But feel free to half everything :) 

Directions:

1) Zest 2 to 3 oranges, or until you have 1/2c of zest.

2) Combine all dry ingredients (baking soda & flower) into a mixing bowl and proceed to whisk together! (they rise better)


3) Combine all wet ingredients in the mixer (or separate mixing bowl).  Feel free to add the  dried cranberries separately (and last).

4) While the mixer is on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.


5) Once the biscotti mix is smooth, cover it with serine wrap and chill it for overnight for better flavor.  The dough is way easier to work with chilled too.

6) Perheat the oven to 375 degrees.  ( This is assuming you are not going to bed to wait for the overnight part...)


7) This dough cooks like very large cookie dough, so it will rise and spread some.  Make loaves no more than 1.5 inch(s) thick.  One inch thick works if you are trying to make more classical biscotti.  Place on greased pan.

8) Cooking is tricky, you want then 80 % cooked before cutting.  They should have the consistency of fully cooked brownies just out of the oven.  People love them just like this too!

9) They won't be fully cooked if you pull them right.  Cutting into them should not put a lot of dough on the knife, but some may stick.  Wipe off any dough before cutting more as it will just attract more.  Greasing the knife helps.

10) Cut in 1/2 to 3/2 inch thick slices, Cook them longer the thicker the original loaf.  The extra half inch may require a min of 5 min more cooking time.  If trying to make huge biscotti think about covering them with tinfoil toward the end so they don't over brown.

10) Cook 3-5 min a side back on the original baking sheet, the ends only need to go through once face down.  Pull and allow to cool, done.

Cost:

orange                 $0.50

eggs                    $1.00

flour                    $2.00

sugar                   $1.00

dried cranberries $2.00

baking soda        $0.10

vegetable oil       $0.35

1tbs   extract       $0.20      

Total                    $7.15

Per piece            $0.19

Adventures in Quinoa: Pasta Substitute Time!

As promised: Californian Summer Pasta with Chicken

(Except with Quinoa ;) )

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts 

1 avocado

1 lemon

3 oranges

1/4 cup orange liquor

fresh rosemary, thyme, black pepper, etc

2 cup quinoa

1 large tomato (Or several small ones as pictured here.)

Directions:

Heat the 2 oranges of juice and two oranges of zest in large frying pan.  Add chopped seasons and pepper, one lemon of juice, and the orange liquor to the pan. Heat sauce on low and then add thawed chicken breast, (2 and cut in half to serve 4 people or you can add 4 whole beasts), to the pan. Cover until the chicken is cooked.  In the mean time, add 2 cups of Quinoa to 4 cups of boiling water.  Add more water as needed. Plate and place chicken breast on top.  Add the fresh avocado-- and any food art desired--Serve hot!  The third orange is for garnish, as you may have noticed--

Serves 4!

Cost:

chicken           $1.99

oranges           $1.00

lemon              $0.50

avocado          $1.00

Quinoa           $1.00

spices/etc.       $0.25     

Total cost:      $5.75

So less than $1.50 a person for this meal.. and it's looks and tastes gourmet!

Time to prepare is thirty minutes, and it makes a great Mother's Day meal ;)