So many of us and close friends and family are feeling the pinch; the money pinch specifically more than ever. I fondly remember my mother who grew up in the Depression of the 1930’s whose comment regarding today’s economic crisis was rather simple, ‘we (Us Americans) have gone through this once before you know…there’s nothing new about trying to save money when feeding your family. You simply have to be creative’.

Now my mother was one of those who taught me much in the kitchen, whose home cooked meals mostly from scratch since I think I can only recall two or three ‘pre-made’ products in our home, the occasional Campbell’s soup can, the box of Biscuit, and the Manischevitz Split Pea Soup Mix which we would make often when there was left over ham, yeah, I know, not very kosher, then again we were not Jewish or other religion that would make eating ham a naughty thing.

But here starting with a ham, I share my tips and ideas on how to eat healthy and affordably stretching your meals into more, just by getting a little more creative and learning how certain foods can go a long way to feeding your family. Dorothy Parker probably quoted Irma S. Rombauer (Joy Of Cooking in the 1930’s) who coined the phrase; Eternity is two people and a ham. And these women were both correct, regardless of who actually came up with the phrase that still holds true today as it did in 1930’s.

But I share this with you; ham is one of those affordable meats that once cooked, can turn into a variety of dishes with a little forethought. I chose to list a main dish which then can be turned into many other dishes along with links on how to make them.

The chosen foods for today are Baked Ham and Roast Chicken.

Baked Ham Dinner – can then be turned into these favorite meals…

• Navy Bean Soup
• Quiche with ham
• Western Omelets with ham, sliced bell peppers and onions
• Pasta Carbonara or Penne a la Vodka
• Sliced Ham Sandwiches
• Ham Hash
• Grilled Cheese Sandwich with ham
• Go all out with Eggs Benedict – from the food network website

Roast Chicken can then be turned into these fine meals:

• Chicken Quesadillas with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese
• Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
• Chicken Soup
• Chicken Tetrazzini
• Chicken Salad – a list of their favorites from Epicurean.com

What’s an eternity? Two people and a ham. Just Kidding!

This delicious take on baked ham makes for a tasty and moist ham which will please many a party giver and taker. Spicy and sweet its an easy alternative for a Sunday meal, serve with your favorite side dishes and corn bread. We had ours with Cilantro & Carrot Basmati Rice and fresh mixed salad. Yummylicious!

And who doesn’t love a really good moist and tender baked ham?

• 1/2 butt ham (6-7 pounds) – which has sat out of refrigerator for 30 minutes at least. You will want the chill off of the ham.
• ***For Glaze:
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2-3/4 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2-3 tablespoons “jerk seasonings”
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (not salt)
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 2 tablespoons balsamic syrup (yes condensed balsamic vinegar – available at fine food stores or places like Turcos and Trader Joe’s)
• (Don’t have any balsamic vinegar? – Use 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar then)
• 5 tablespoons duck sauce (or 5 packets of duck sauce from your last time you went for Chinese take out)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• ***Equipment Needed
• roasting pan, tin foil (optional for easier cleaning), bowl, spoon, knife, one working oven at 325, one lazy Sunday afternoon with a crowd to feed.

1. Take cured (pre-cooked) ham out of refrigerator and let chill come off of ham. Remove packaging and rinse under water. Remove any plastic.
2. You will be cooking your ham 20 minutes per pound, so take notes on the amount of time you will need to bake your ham and when the ham should go into oven.
3. Place ham onto cutting board.
4. With knife, make 1/2″ or less cuts on the diagonal all over ham. Then going in other opposite direction, make additional cuts so that a “diamond” pattern is now on your ham.
5. See photo for reference.
6. Put ham flat side down onto tinfoil that you have lined your roasting pan with.
7. Place in oven at 325 degrees.
8. In bowl, add all ingredients for glaze, stir till well combined.
9. Go about your business for one hour. Yes, go on now…
10. Return to kitchen and open up oven door.
11. Carefully, pull out rack that has the ham roasting and spoon glaze all over ham.
12. At this point, every twenty minutes, you will want to put more glaze on ham until ham has completed its roasting time.
13. You can up and increase the heat in the oven, to crisp up glaze should you think the ham needs it for the last twenty minutes.
14. Take ham out of oven and let rest 20 minutes.
15. Call peeps to table and place ham up on its side onto a serving platter. Call up your favorite carver and slice up that ham!
16. The crispy “diamonds” are now absolutely decadently Divaliscious!

Bodacious Baked Ham @ Group Recipes