Company Baked Ham

LUCY BURDETTE: Key West is such a fun town--you never know what wacky event will turn up. On New Year's Eve day they hold their annual Dachshund parade, otherwise known as the Wiener Wonderland! I couldn't miss that, even with company coming for dinner. So I pulled out my simple but delicious recipe for baked ham.  

Yes, it's easier to order a spiral ham from the deli, but I promise you this ham is more tasty than most and not that much trouble either. It's ideal for a holiday centerpiece or even part of a party buffet--a Superbowl party would be a perfect venue.

INGREDIENTS:

*1 semi-boneless ham, 4 to 6 pounds
*generous handful of whole cloves
*several tablespoons of smooth Dijon mustard (I cannot swear to the results if you use the bright orange stuff that goes on hot dogs--see photo at top!)
*about 3/4 cup brown sugar
*1 6 oz can pineapple chunks in juice
*1/2 jar marmalade (I used orange, but peach would be nice too) 

Remove the casing from the ham and nestle it into a large baking pan. Score the fat/skin covering into artistic diamonds with a sharp knife. Push whole cloves into the diamond intersections so the ham is generously studded with cloves. 

Now spoon some mustard into a small bowl and with a knife or spatula, frost the studded ham with mustard, taking care not to dislodge your cloves. Next pat a layer of brown sugar all over, creating a mustard/sugar paste.

Now bake the ham for half an hour in an oven preheated to 325 degrees. Meanwhile, combine the pineapple in its juice and the marmalade in a small pan and heat on low until the marmalade dissolves. 

Then begin to baste the ham every 15 to 30 minutes with the pineapple mixture. (If you like, you could add a splash of rum to the pineapple, but I like it fine without.) Bake it for about an hour longer, then slice and serve--maybe with your favorite scalloped potatoes or even potato salad.

There will be lots of leftovers (unless you've invited the whole neighborhood!), so you'll be well-positioned for split pea soup, ham and cheese omelets, or a platter of Cuban sandwiches!

Did you know that the third Key West food critic mystery, TOPPED CHEF, is available for pre-order now? 

And please, while your ham is baking, don't forget to "like" Lucy on Facebook and follow her on twitter!

Kicky Artichoke Dip

My wonderful critique group, the Lit Girls (which includes authors Melissa Bourbon and Molly Cannon), held another day-long brainstorming session last weekend.  We gathered in a big circle in Melissa Bourbon's den, laptops open and ready to go, and took turns pitching our stories to each other.

It's a fascinating process.  When you write, you're often so focused on the page-to-page trees that you completely lose sight of the story-telling forrest.  In these brainstorming sessions, we help each other get a firm grip on the heart of our conflict, develop the plot to emphasize that conflict, and cut the stuff that really doesn't fit.  Oh, and we help each other write our one- or two-sentence "log line":  a quick encapsulation of the whole story.

While we're working, we're also having a ton of fun.  Molly has a gift for punny titles, Tracy has a wicked sense of humor, and I have developed a reputation for solving all plot problems by killing someone.  Kym tells us stories about her years as a cop.  Melissa's kids and critters keep us laughing.  And, of course, there's always a spread of delicious food.

This go-round, Tracy brought this awesome spicy artichoke dip.  I e-mailed her afterward to ask if she would share the recipe and let me share it with you.  Ah.  Turns out she didn't actually make it.  It came from Costco.  Which is great, if you happen to belong to Costco ... you can pick it up and enjoy without even stepping foot in the kitchen.

But we do recipes here, so I cobbled together a version of the dip that comes pretty close to Costco's.

The Mezzetta tamed jalapeno peppers are KEY.

So, for your Superbowl snacking pleasure, I bring you this zippy artichoke dip.  I think it has a lot more flavor that the usual fare, with just the right amount of heat.  It's great served with Triscuits, pita chips, or crostini.  Num!

Kicky Artichoke Dip

1 large (12 oz) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained, squeezed out, and chopped
1 14-oz. can artichoke hearts (in water), drained, squeezed out, and chopped
1 - 8 oz. carton cream cheese, softened
1 c. mayo
1 1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese
1/3 c. "tamed" chopped/pickled jalapenos (heap that 1/3 c. if you like extra kick)*

Preheat oven to 350.

Make sure you've pressed the excess oil/water out of your artichoke hearts.  You can use your hands (if you're so inclined), or press them against the sides of a colander with a large spoon.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine mayo and cream cheese.  Mix with a hand mixer until fairly smooth.  Add artichokes, jalapenos, and 1 c. parmesan.  Mix well.  Spread in a 7x12 baking dish, top with remaining 1/2 c. shredded parmesan, and bake for 30 minutes.  Raise oven temperature to 425 and continue baking for another 10 minutes (keeping an eye on the dip to make sure it doesn't burn).

Serve warm or room temperature.

* Look for Mezzetta "tamed" jalapenos.  They are made from a special variety of the pepper that has a lot of flavor but reduced heat.  If you cannot find Mezzetta's, then opt for a tablespoon of regular pickled jalapenos and make up the remaining with mild diced green chiles.  But really look for the Mezzetta peppers.  They're also fantastic on nachos!

~~~~~~

Wendy is the author of the Mysteries a la Mode. Visit her on the web or on Facebook. She also writes the Pet Boutique Mysteries under the name Annie Knox; you can follow Annie on Facebook, too!

Supernatural Sticky Wings for Super Bowl Sunday from Cleo Coyle

Wings are good eats. I grew up on my Aunt Mary's broiled chicken wings, and they bring back good memories, too. Here in New York City, Korean-style sticky wings have become a popular treat over the past few years. These wings, which are described as "Korean pub food," are lip-smackin' good, whether they're eaten in a pub, in one of the Korean wing shops around town, or on a Central Park bench. 

Roast Mortem:
A Coffeehouse Mystery 
To see some of the recipes 
featured in Cleo's bestselling 
culinary mystery, click here. 

My husband Marc and I have enjoyed these wings so much that we put a knockoff recipe for UFC soy-garlic wings in our 9th Coffeehouse Mystery (Roast Mortem). Today I have a completely different wing recipe for you, but one that's just as transcendently delicious.

And speaking of
transcendence...

I swear the NY Giants' playoff game performances were near supernatural achievements. Their opponents were top-notch, carrying the best records in the NFL, and the games were suitably thrilling. Hence my armchair salute to the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers, who almost beat New York in a nail-biting overtime that was clinched with a mere field goal kick.

The Super Bowl is this Sunday and, honestly, whether we had a dog in the race or not, Marc and I would be watching the game. The big Bowl is an iconic moment in the timeline of our country's year--plus we like the commercials. :)

The winning New England Patriots will be challenging the die-hard New York Giants this Sunday. Both teams come to the arena as champs. Whatever the outcome, they'll leave that way, too.

Good luck to both! 

And good eats to us all... 

~ Cleo

Cleo Coyle's

Supernatural Sticky Wings

for Super Bowl Sunday!

To download this recipe in a free PDF 

format that you can print, save, 

or share, click here.

Cleo Coyle, winging it for
Super Bowl 46, is author of
The Coffeehouse Mysteries

The process for making these beautiful babies begins with a simple sweet and savory marinade. The glaze provides the delicious "sticky" aspect with a combination of maple, honey, lemon, ginger, and an ingredient that really pulls it all together--cumin. This ancient spice is often used in Mediterranean, Middle-Eastern, and Asian cooking. Here it deepens the glaze flavor, adding an earthy, nutty, (very subtle) mustard-like dimension that sends these sticky wings right out of this world (hence the "supernatural" part of this recipe's moniker).

See 2 tasty wing variations
at the end of this recipe.

Makes 12 chicken wings (about 4 pounds)


Ingredients for Marinade


12 chicken wings (about 4 pounds)
5 cloves garlic, chopped
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt


Ingredients for Glaze (to baste during cooking)

Makes 1/3 cup glaze (enough to baste 12 wings)

¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon butter
½ teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce


Step 1—Make Marinade: Smash garlic and chop. Throw into a bowl with maple syrup, cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, pepper, and salt. Whisk until thoroughly blended. Wash chicken wings, pat dry, and cut off the tips. Place wings in a resealable plastic bag or container. Pour marinade over wings, toss to thoroughly coat, and marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Step 2—Make glaze: First preheat oven to 350° F. While oven is warming up, make the maple glaze. Combine all the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan, over low heat. Simmer, stirring continually for 3 to 5 minutes, until mixture thickens and becomes syrupy. Test by dipping a spoon into the glaze. When it easily coats the back of the spoon, it’s ready.

Step 3—Oven Roast (or grill): To cut down on the clean up, line a shallow pan with aluminum foil. Place a rack over the pan and coat the rack with nonstick spray. Remove wings from marinade and discard the excess liquid. Place wings on the rack and roast. Total cooking time is 80 minutes. After the first 30 minutes, turn over each wing and brush liberally with the glaze. Cook another 15 minutes. Flip the wings and baste a second time. Cook for another 15 minutes. Baste for a third time and cook a final 15 – 20 minutes. (Be patient with the cooking time and do not increase the oven temperature to speed up the process or you’ll likely scorch the sugar in the glaze.)

Variation 1—South Carolina-style Mustard BBQ:
Use the same Marinade recipe, but in the Glaze recipe replace 1 tablespoon of the honey with 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard.

Variation 2—Sweet-Hot:
Use the same Marinade recipe, but in the Glaze recipe add ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper and…

 

 

Eat with joy!

~ Cleo Coyle, author of 

The Coffeehouse Mysteries 

To get more of my recipes,
enter to win free coffee, or

learn about my books,
including my bestselling
Haunted Bookshop series,
visit my online coffeehouse:

CoffeehouseMystery.com

The Coffeehouse Mysteries are national bestselling
culinary mysteries set in a landmark Greenwich Village 
coffeehouse, and each of the ten titles includes the 
added bonus of recipes. 

 

The Ghost and
Mrs. McClure

Book #1 of 
The Haunted Bookshop
Mysteries, which Cleo writes
under the name Alice Kimberly
To learn more, click here.



Split Pea Soup and NEWS!

News first!!

Today is the official release day for Krista's newest book - THE DIVA PAINTS THE TOWN. I know I can't wait to get my hands on a copy. I love this series!

I know Krista will be talking about it a bit more on Saturday, but I didn't want the day to pass without acknowledgment!

Congrats Krista!

My family loves split pea soup. I started the girls on it very young before they were old enough to think that eating something green was yucky. It worked for broccoli, salads, and other good-for-you foods, and now my daughters are all happy veggie eaters and they all love split pea soup. My youngest, the vegetarian, has been after me to come up with a version that doesn't use a hambone as its base, but I haven't managed that yet. Soon, I hope. And if it's a success, I'll post it here. But I can't imagine a great pea soup without delicious ham undertones....

Anyway, my mom was the one who first suggested I make this. I had no idea how. She told me to buy Jack Rabbit brand peas, and just follow the recipe on the back of the bag because it was the best. There was no way I believed that a recipe from the back of a cellophane bag would be any good, but it was fabulous. I've modified it a bit since then, but the Jack Rabbit recipe is still pretty excellent. If you need peas, pick up a bag of that brand and follow it to the letter. You won't be disappointed.

Here, however, is my modified version. I've added a bit more water, simmered a bit less time, eliminated an ingredient or two and traded garlic powder for fresh minced garlic.

Personally, I think this is the best pea soup on the planet. Perfect for this weather, perfect to serve at SuperBowl parties ("Soup"-erbowl ... get it?), and just great for bringing back that great feeling of home and warmth and comfort.

Split Pea Soup

16 oz bag of peas

2 chicken bouillon cubes

4 quarts water

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves crushed, minced

1 ham shank (or butt, if that's what you have)

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp pepper

1 bay leaf

Carrots (I like the baby carrots that come cleaned and pre-peeled)

Wash peas and pick out any bad ones.

Combine peas, water, ham shank, onions, bouillon, oregano, pepper, bay leaf, and garlic in a deep soup pot. Bring to a gentle boil and then simmer for about an hour or so. Remove shank and trim any meat off (this is a great time to snack!). Cut this meat into bite-size pieces and return to the pot. Add carrots. Simmer again, uncovered, for about another hour and a half. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

I used to simmer it for 2 and a half hours the second time, but then the soup gets really, really thick. I like thick, but, this was a bit too much. Keep an eye on the pot after an hour and judge appropriate simmer time for yourself.

Yum.

Enjoy! This is a great soup to sip while reading mysteries. Trust me!

;-)

Julie

* * *

I'll bet you thought I forgot about the truth and lies.... and I almost did! Here's a reminder of what my "claims" were:

1 - FALSE - although I did buy a goldfish for my fraternity initiation, I did not have to swallow it! Whew!!

2 - TRUE - I have Synesthesia. My youngest shares this "affliction," but I wouldn't trade it away even if I could. Life is so colorful this way ;-)

3 - FALSE - Never met Christian Bale. Never tried to be an extra in Batman. But a lot of folks around here did try to get in and we know a few who succeeded.

Hope you're enjoying our "tall tales"!