Ham It Up, Fuzzball!

During holiday season, with all that is going on, I find myself making large meals and have lots of leftovers. Tonight's meal was something of a favorite: A Spiral Cut Ham, with Some Dirty Smashed Potato, and Some Baked Pineapple Stuffing.

Spiral Cut Ham
Brown Sugar (I use dark sugar, but you can use light brown)
Cinnamon
Clove

Red Bliss Potato (about 2-3 per serving)
Milk
Butter
Sour Cream

20 ounce can of crushed Pineapple
4 Eggs
5 slices bread (I use a whole grain white, but use any you want) (1/2 cup sugar

Crushed Pineapple

This meals is simple, and easy to do, but, it takes a bit of planning. The biggest time element to remember, is to make sure you prepare the crushed pineapple the night before you want to cook this meal. Simply place a strainer over a large bowl, open the can of pineapple, and pour it into the strainer. Let this stand overnight. I cover mine in some plastic wrap.

Red Bliss Mashed Potato

Rinse the potato in cold water, removing any eyes that have grown out. LEAVE the skins on, that's what makes it Dirty Smashed! Dice into a rough cut. Try to make them about the same size. Place the pieces into a large pot of cold water. Bring it to a boil and cook until the potato is done. You can tell, by sticking a fork into the chunks, and if the potato slips off easily, then, the potato is done. Remove from the heat and drain the water. Keep the potato in the pot. I used about 20 Red Bliss, so these are roughly my measurements, but yours will all be about consistency and texture:

While the Potato is still hot/warm, slice up a stick of butter, add about a 1/4 cup of milk and a few very healthy spoonsfuls of sour cream. It's better to start with less of each, mix and mash, then, add more if needed. MASH MASH MASH the ingredients all together... scraping the sides and bottom to mix is all together. You want a nice creamy texture, but still have some body from the potato.

Mashing

Pineapple Stuffing Begins...

Dice up a stick of butter, gather your sugar, eggs, and also, take the 5 slices of bread and cut them into cubes about 1/2 each or about 2 cm. In a very large bowl, take a small hand mixer and cream the sugar and butter together. Keep mixing until they are thoroughly combined. Add in the eggs, NO SHELLS, pour the Pineapple (SAVE the pineapple juice) and mix in the cubes of bread. Combine it all and make it good and well mixed!!! Pour this all into a large baking dish, about 9x12 and bake for about an hour at 350º F (175C)

I cook the ham at the same time, depending on the size, I use about 12-15 minutes per pound... follow the directions on the label... I am a big fan of the spiral cut, half hams. about 8 pounds. The ham sometimes calls for lower temps, and all I do is take the ham out early - cover in foil, and keep the stuffing in to bake. If you have two ovens for two different cooking times and temps, you probably cook enough that I don't need to micromanage your kitchen and cooking!

The Glaze for Ham

In a small pot, add the pineapple juice from draining overnight. Pour in some brown sugar... depends on how much juice you have, but about a quarter cup should do. A teaspoon of cinnamon, and sprinkle some clove, too, for flavor. Bring it all to a light simmer. When the ham is about to be served, I like to place enough ham slices on a serving plate, pour some of the glaze over top, to give it a nice flavor and some juices.
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All this food means a ton of leftovers for a few days, for lunches and easy to reheat meals. Enjoy, and have fun with family gathered around you.

Always, I strive to give back

To the animals and birds around me

to put more plants in than I take out

And be a good steward for the world around me!

All Photos by Bluefin Studios.