Springtime cooking is highlighted by our Easter meal.
The traditional ham, potatoes spring vegetables and a dessert provides for soup and other leftovers. Another spring tradition is the Zion Church Humdinger Ham Dinner. This has been a Zion event for 11 years. For many years, Jack Ulrich made the hams.
Jack made hams for many occasions like First District, at his camp ground every summer and for new dairy barns. Jack made whole hams and not spiral hams. He used gas grills. He also used a meat injector.
It holds about a cup and is stainless steel. I got it at the hardware store in Isle, Minnesota. Evidently, using meat injectors is big around Lake Mille Lacs, and the Isle Hardware Store carries the best selection.
Some sauces include melted butter, but then, you have to run hot water through the injector, so the butter does not get firm and plug the holes. To inject the meat, put the needle in as deep as you can. Then start injecting and slowly withdraw the needle. This distributes the sauce throughout the meat.
My meat injector was also used as a prop for the USO Shows by Litchfield Community Theater several years ago. The large, shiny injector was easily seen by the audience in the Army induction scene!
Jack’s Baked Ham
1 whole ham (cut off excess fat, place in a heavy tinfoil pan)
Sauce:
1 large can of pineapple juice
2 pounds of brown sugar (1 bag)
1 (14-18 ounce) jar of grape jelly
3 tablespoons mustard
Mix together and heat so everything dissolves. Cool slightly. Inject meat in several places and rotate the ham to inject all sides. Cover with tin foil and bake on gas grill at a low temperature for 2 hours.
Baste with the leftover sauce, usually two or three times, every 10 minutes. Remove and let set for 10 minutes, slice and serve with leftover sauce. If sauce in bottom of pan turns dark, you may need to add some water for moisture.
Asparagus is a wonderful vegetable for your Easter dinner. My daughter-in-law got me hooked on oven roasted vegetables. You can roast asparagus, green beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts (cut in half) and carrots.
I sprinkle a little olive oil on the tin foil lined pan and then layer the vegetables. For seasoning I have used sesame seeds, garlic, half an envelope of dry Ranch dressing and Italian seasoning. When we were visiting this fall, Josh was cooking broccoli, I asked him what he used — small pieces of bacon and a little brown sugar. The possibilities are endless.
Oven Roasted Asparagus
1 pound of asparagus
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
1-2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Heat oven to 425 F. Line rimmed cookie sheet with tinfoil. Wash and trim end of asparagus. Line them up on the cookie sheet.
Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle on garlic powder, cheese, salt and pepper. Bake until tender, about 12-18 minutes, depending on thickness of asparagus.
The cheesy potatoes are easy to put in the oven with the ham. Most recipes make a 9-by-13-inch pan. This recipe is for an 8-by-8-inch pan.
Cheesy Hash Browns
2 1/2 cups of shredded hash browns
1 can of cream of chicken soup
2 cups of cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup melted butter
Topping:
1 1/2 cups crushed corn flakes
2 tablespoons melted butter
Mix ingredients together and pour into a greased glass baking dish. Sprinkle with corn flakes and pour melted butter over mixture. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 F.
