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SHIRL’S SLOW BAKED EASTER HAM

Whole Double G bone-in ham, weight depending on how many people you’re feeding. I usually go for around 30 lbs, but I feed over a dozen people and have lots of sandwich meat leftover. This brand is a Midwestern favorite. If you can’t find it, buy a top quality brand available in your area, but be sure to get a whole, bone-in ham. Boneless hams have far less taste even if they are easier to slice.

½ bottle dry sherry (or a bit more)
Enough whole cloves to cover the top half of ham at 2” intervals
8-10 slices of pineapple (juice packed in can, or fresh)
1 ½ cup dark brown sugar, tightly packed in cup
4-5 Maraschino cherries, halved
Enough toothpicks to hold pineapple slices on ham

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Trim ham of excess fat and any tough skin at small end, leaving enough fat to moisten the ham as it cooks. Place in large roasting pan. Score the ham with a sharp knife in diamond-shaped diagonal cuts across the top. Pour sherry over it. At the intersection of the cuts, insert whole cloves, going as far around the sides as you can reach. Arrange pineapple slices across top of ham evenly and pin ones on the sides in place with toothpicks. Pour juice from pineapple into sherry mix in bottom of pan. Press dark brown sugar over top of ham to cover it fairly thickly. (It will melt off during baking.) Place a cherry half inside each pineapple slice for decoration.

Cover and bake in oven, basting ham with pan juices every quarter hour or so. Once the pineapple slices start to brown, tent ham with foil, recover and continue baking Depending on how large, it should take a minimum of 2 ½ hours. For a large ham, I bake around 3-4 hours, lowering heat to 275-300 for last hour or so. It is important to keep basting to check that pineapple does not burn

To meld the flavors of ham, sherry, cloves, pineapple and brown sugar, you need to allow of time and baste often. When ham is done, remove from roaster and place on wooden carving board with channels along sides to catch juices. Unfasten pineapple slices and set aside. Slice ham thinly and place on platter, garnishing with roasted pineapple slices.

Serve with baked yams, tossed green salad, veggie of choice, rolls and a crisp, slightly sweet white wine or very light-bodied red.


MY FAVORITE CHEESECAKE CRUST

1 cup flour
¼ cup sugar
Grated zest of one lemon
1 large egg yoke
½ cup butter, softened

In medium bowl mix flour, sugar and lemon zest thoroughly.Add egg yoke and butter.Work with a fork to a coarse blend, use fingers to make it into a smoother, even ball of dough with all ingredients completely mixed.

Press into springform pan, beginning with sides, then use what’s left onbottom.

This crust will go with many cheesecake recipes but is especially good with any that call for citrus rinds, juice.Such as:


RICHEST CHEESECAKE EVER

5 pkg cream cheese, softened
1 ¾ cups sugar
3 tbls flour
¼ tsp salt
Zest of one large lemon
Zest of one large orange
2 jumbo egg yokes
5 whole jumbo eggs
¼ cup heavy whipping cream

Prepare crust in springform pan. Then preheat oven to 475 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl (preferably a stand mixer kind) beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. You’ll have to start slower and ramp up the speed as it starts to mix. Add sugar, flour and salt, continue to beat on high. Add grated zests, then yokes and whole eggs. Beat until mix is thoroughly blended. Stir in heavy cream and mix very briefly.

Pour into crust and bake for 15 min at 475 degrees.

Reduce oven to 200 degrees and continue to bake for one full hour.

When cake is done, turn off oven and let cake cool slowly by placing a wooden spoon in the top of door so it is only open 2 inches or so. After another full hour, remove cake and place on rack to continue cooling. Keep away from drafts.

When fully cooled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to serve, use table knife to slide around side of pan, then release spring and lift. Slice and enjoy!
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