Cooking Class on Vegetarian Cooking

Harmon's Station Park (Farmington location) is hosting a class on Vegetarian cooking with Chef Bob. He will be demonstrating a gourmet vegetarian meal. The menu consists of Curried Tomato Soup, Moroccan Lentil Ravioli, Spicy Tofu Lettuce Wraps, and Hailey's Berried Goodness. Cost is $29 a person. Here is the link to the class. I will be attending and hopefully I will see one or several of you.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Seriously don't read any further if you have no self control. These muffins, according to spark people recipe calculator, have over 400 calories a piece. If your like me and can keep your sweet tooth in check read on. These muffins took first place last night at our city's dessert baking contest. They are seriously that good. Personally this is all of my favorite sweet tastes rolled into one. They taste like pumpkin pie with a pumpkin cheesecake flavor added as a bonus. They are easy to make and each batch makes 24 muffins. Yes 24! Do NOT double this recipe like I did as I had to give them away to avoid the weight gain these will bring. I found this recipe via pinterest which is a favorite site of mine.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Lung Family Blog

Yield: 24 muffins

 Ingredients:

For the filling:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

¼ tsp vanilla extract

For the muffins:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. ground cloves

1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

4 large eggs

2 cups sugar

2 cups pumpkin puree

1¼ cups vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

For the topping:

½ cup sugar

5 tbsp. flour

1½ tsp. ground cinnamon

4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

 Directions:

For the filling, combine the cream cheese, vanilla  and confectioners’ sugar  in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth.  Once blended, cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.

For the muffins, preheat the oven to 350˚ F, and line muffin pans with cupcake  liners.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend.  In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree ,, vanilla and oil.  Mix on low speed until blended.  With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

For the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend.  Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture is coarse and crumbly.  Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.

To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (2 tablespoons).  Spoon a tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture into the very center of each cup.  Divide the remaining batter among the cups, placing on top of the cream cheese to cover completely.  Sprinkle a tablespoon of the streusel mixture on top of each muffin.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving, the cream cheese filling will be very hot!

Pork Chops with Dijon Sauce

I randomly selected a recipe online the other night to use with the pork chops I had defrosted. I had been sick for almost a week at that point and just wanted a dish that could be made in less in 30 minutes and would allow me to rest for short periods of time. I just hoped the dish would taste decent. It turned out the dish was a huge hit with the kids and adults. I should have made more pork chops cause each child ate two pork chops each and I had doubled the recipe. They even liked the sauce which they rarely do.

Pork Chops with Dijon Sauce
Simply Recipes

1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 center-cut rib or loin pork chops, boneless or bone-in (whatever you prefer), about 1 1/4 inch thick
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped shallots or green onions
1 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp chopped parsley (optional, I did not add this)

Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over them. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Stir in the butter. As soon as the butter has melted, add the pork chops to the pan and sear them, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Reduce the heat slightly if the chops brown too quickly.

Remove the pork chops from the pan and pour off most of the fat. Add the green onions or shallots and cook them on med high heat until softened, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup of the wine and bring to a boil, deglazing the pan by scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the stock and return chops to the pan. Bring sauce to a simmer, reduce heat, cover and cook until chops are cooked through (145°F internal temp), about 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the pork chops to a warm platter; cover with foil to keep warm. Add the remaining half cup of wine. Increase the heat to high to boil the pan juices. Reduce the juices by half, about 3 minutes. Add the heavy cream and boil 3 minutes more, until sauce reduces and thickens, and scraping the pan with a wooden spoon leaves a trail. Remove from the heat and whisk in the mustard and parsley. If you want, add more mustard to taste. Place chops on a bed of sauce and serve.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Who doesn't love this time of year? I know I do. My favorite thing about fall is all the pumpkin goodies that get shared around my block. Of course we all battle to outdo each other and there are some pretty amazing dishes shared. This one I made for the first time about three years ago. I made it almost directly as written but after making them and eating them I realized that they needed a cream cheese frosting to take them over the top. All the comments from neighbors was they were good but really needed a cream cheese frosting. Well this year I decided to make these again and make the requested cream cheese frosting. I haven't heard back from the neighbors yet but based on the reactions my kids had the cream cheese frosting did make these truly delicious.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
adapted slightly from King Arthur Flour

1 cup canned pumpkin or squash
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup lukewarm water (adjust to your climate, wet needs less dry needs more)
1/4 cup soft butter
2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 3/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3 tablespoons brown sugar, light or dark
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons instant yeast

Combine all ingredients in bowl. Mix to combine. Knead till smooth, sticky is okay, your looking for it to hold its shape.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or other container. Cover, and let rise for 1 1/2 hours, until it’s puffy, though not necessarily doubled in bulk.

Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface. Roll the dough into a 14” x 22” rectangle. It’ll be very thin. Don’t stress if you can’t make it exactly 14” x 22”.

3 tablespoons melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Spread the melted butter over the rolled dough. Combine sugar and cinnamon and the sprinkle mixture over the buttered dough. Leave one edge clean. Starting with the end with filling, roll the dough into a log. Seal it closed. Next, you’re going to cut it into 9 rolls. It helps to use a ruler and measure the entire log, divide by 9, then actually make slight cuts, as a guide. A serrated knife is the easiest way to cut this dough. If things start getting too sticky, rinse the knife in hot water (don’t dry it), and continue. There you have it: 9 fat rolls.

Lay the rolls in a lightly greased 9” square pan; the pan needs to be at least 2” deep. Flatten them with your fingers, so they’re fairly tightly packed. Then cover, and let them rise for 1 hour, or until they look puffy – like this. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes, until they’re lightly browned and feel set.

Remove them from the oven, and set them on a rack. Turn them out of the pan, and allow them to cool for about 15 minutes. Towards the end of the cooling time, make the frosting.


Cream cheese frosting:
4 oz room temp cream cheese
1 c powdered sugar
1/2 stick unsalted butter room temp
1/2 tsp vanilla
combine with mixer until smooth. spread over the top of warm rolls.

Sizzler Cheese Toast

So I originally posted this recipe a few years back but way back then I really didn't or couldn't figure out how to get a decent picture. Now that I have a new computer (loving the Mac and so glad I went with it) and a new camera (still learning it but getting better) I thought I'd start replacing some old recipes with horrible pictures with new and better looking pictures. First up is the Sizzler Cheese Toast. I don't know about you but my favorite thing about Sizzler is the cheese toast. I could make a whole meal with just the cheese toast if they would let me. Now mine isn't exactly like Sizzler's cause I prefer more garlic flavor (warning cut back on the garlic powder if you don't like to have a real taste of garlic). This is a simple recipe that even a beginner cook could make and it really doesn't call for any stranger or obscure ingredients. If your like me and love Sizzler cheese toast give this knock off a try.

Sizzler Cheese Toast

6 slices Texas Toast bread
1/2 stick butter, softened at room temperature
1 tablespoon garlic powder (use less if you don't like the garlic flavor, probably about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Mix butter,salt, and garlic powder together. Preheat a griddle. Spread butter mixture on bread and sprinkle with cheese. Place buttered/cheese side down on the griddle and cook until brown. Remove and serve.

Meatless Mexican Salad

I'm back! Stunned? I am. First I've had all kinds of computer problems and then I had major issues with my camera. Anyway hopefully it's all finally cleared up.
Today's dish comes from a neighbor who had the meal at her parents house. I then adapted the recipe to fit my family's taste and trust me this picture does it no justice. The flavors blend together well and it's a salad that you'll crave often. My favorite thing about this recipe besides the taste is from start to finish it takes about 15 minutes to make, less if you don't make your own salsa and salad dressing. Another shocking thing about this recipe is my kids, yes the world's  pickiest kids, will eat this salad. So with that on to the recipe.

Lettuce (I use two salad bags or two washed heads of lettuce), I prefer romaine or green leaf but iceburg works
2 cans of Chili Beans, your choice I prefer S&W chili beans
1/2-3/4 bag of frozen corn, fresh works well too
fresh salsa, jarred works but it tastes great with freshly made
2 avocados, diced
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, play around almost any cheese is great in this salad
2 bunches of green onions, chopped (less if you want less or leave them out if your not an onion fan)
salad dressing, I prefer my homemade Creamy Tomatillo dressing but ranch works or even sour cream
crushed tortilla chips

Here is the only cooking part of this dish: Heat the chili beans and corn until heated thoroughly. Microwave or stove either way works.
Now assemble the salad, starting from the bottom:
lettuce, chili beans/corn mixture, cheese, green onions, avocado, salad dressing and tortilla chips.

Hopefully you like this salad as much as we do!

Chocolate Eclair Cake

Don't judge by the picture, this cake was extremely hard to get a decent picture of. However the taste of this cake was so good everyone (well except for my mom) was swiping a taste while waiting for dessert. Even my 6 year old twins and my 8 year old were coming for little sneak bites of this cake. This recipe calls for making your own pudding which I feel really makes this cake taste far better than any other version I have had of this cake. And the dish is pretty simple to make so even a beginner can make an amazing cake without resorting to a boxed dessert. The pudding was creamy and ever so tasty (hint: you can make this as a stand alone pudding too). Don't be scared off by the instructions it's all very simple to do.

Chocolate Eclair Cake
Cooks Country June/July 2011

1 1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
5 cups whole milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
5 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons water
1 1/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2 3/4 cups heavy cream, chilled
14 ounces graham crackers (I used about one and one quarter boxes)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
5 tablespoons light corn syrup

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large saucepan. Whisk milk into sugar mixture until smooth and bring to a boil, scraping bottom with rubber spatula, over medium high heat. Immediately reduce heat to medium low and cook, continuing to scrape bottom, until thickened and large bubbles appear on surface, 4 to 6 minutes. Off heat, whisk in butter and vanilla. Transfer pudding to large bowl and place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding. Refrigerate until cool, about 2 hours.
Stir water and gelatin together in bowl and let sit until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Microwave until mixture is bubbling around the edges and gelatin dissolves, 15 to 30 seconds. Using stand mixture fitted with whisk, whip 2 cups cream on medium low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Add gelatin mixture and whip until soft peaks, about 1 minute.

Whisk one third whipped cream whipped cream into chilled pudding, then gently fold in remaining whipped cream, 1 scoop at a time, until combined. Cover bottom of 13 by 9 inch baking dish with layer of graham crackers, breaking crackers as necessary to line the bottom of the pan. Top with half of pudding whipped cream mixture and another layer of graham crackers. Repeat with remaining pudding-whipped cream mixture and remaining graham crackers.
Microwave chocolate chips, remaining 3/4 cup cream, and corn syrup in a bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Cool glaze to room temperature, about 10 minutes.  Cover graham crackers with glaze and refrigerate cake for 6 to 24 hours. Serve.

Ms. Millie's Best Coleslaw

We love coleslaw in our house. I don't think I ever turn down a coleslaw recipe. I usually shred the cabbage myself as I find it tastes better but a bag of the coleslaw mix works well with a little doctoring. This recipe is a little sweeter of a coleslaw than others so if your not a fan of sweet coleslaw cut back on the sugar by adding a some sugar to the dressing and giving it a taste. This recipe calls for Dijon mustard which is different than the horseradish I usually add. I have to say it still had good flavor even without the horseradish flavor I love in a coleslaw.This recipe comes via a Mother's Day gift of Southern Plate by Christy Jordan.

Ms. Millie's Best Coleslaw
Southern Plate Christy Jordan

1 medium head green cabbage, cored and shredded (or you can use two bags of the coleslaw mix for all the veggies in this dish except the onion)
2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons grated onion
2 cups mayonnaise (I prefer Best Foods or Helleman, Miracle Whip doesn't work for me)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons celery seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup Dijon mustard

Place the cabbage, carrots, green pepper, and onion in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix together all the remaining ingredients, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour over the vegetables and toss well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours before serving for flavors to blend.

Favorite Food Blogs

I'm back. I finally have time, an internet connection that seems to be working, no more computer problems (knock on wood), a new camera (broke my other), and the desire to actually cook again. I have a few recipes to share in the next week I just have to figure out how to get the pictures off my camera and onto the computer. I figure another day or two and I'll have that figured out. In the meantime here are some of my favorite blogs to read and borrow recipes from. They are in no particular order. Check them out if you haven't and feel free to introduce me to some new ones.

Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Cookin Canuck
Frieda Loves Bread
Kalyn's Kitchen
The Sisters Cafe
Pioneer Woman

Where have I been?

To be honest I haven't done much cooking lately. We've either had take out or really simple dishes here at home. Why you may ask? Lucky for me it's not because I've been sick this year. Instead it's because 5 years after we started tearing flooring out of our dining/office/school room area and tearing off the 70's paneling and wallpaper we are almost finished. Half our walls are now painted a sunny yellow. Flooring has been bought and final choices are being made on a desk I am going to attempt to build for our computers. I will have pictures when finished to share with you. I'm so excited to get this done and to finally get back to cooking some yummy food instead of getting by on just decent food.

Favorite Dish: Greek Chicken Wraps

This is a favorite dish in our house. It's actually really easy to put together and everyone in the house will eat all parts of it. I've posted all the recipes before but this is a better picture than I had in the original posts. You could certainly buy pita bread but why bother when this flat wrap is easy to make and better tasting than any store bought pita. We use either romaine lettuce or spinach leaves for the greens. Tomatoes and red onions are our final touches but you could add more items or less depending on what you like.

For the sauce:
1/8 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons grated zest plus 1 tablespoon juice from one lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Adjust these for your family's taste. I've found that this is right for our family.

Combine oil, garlic, basil, oregano, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes in a large bowl and whisk in mayonnaise, vinegar, and lemon juice; refrigerate.

For chicken:
Juice of 1 lemon, approximately 3 tablespoons
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic, about 2 medium cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound chicken breasts (I usually cut really thick chicken breasts down to thin them out and make the pieces a little smaller so they absorb the marinade better)

Combine all marinade ingredients. Place chicken in a ziploc bag and pour marinade over chicken. Seal bag and place in fridge overnight. Grill (or cook in frying pan). Serve with sides of your choice or cut into bite sized pieces and add to desired recipe (I'll be sharing a few with you soon). Note: If you cut your chicken into smaller, bite-sized pieces and then marinate it, you can get away with only letting it marinate for 5 or 6 hours instead of overnight.

For the soft wrap bread:
3 to 3 1/4 cups (12 3/4 to 13 3/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) boiling water
1/4 cup (1 1/2 ounces) potato flour OR 1/2 cup (5/8 ounces) potato buds or flakes (I used potato flakes)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons (7/8 ounce) vegetable oil
1 teaspoon instant yeast*

Place 2 cups of the flour into a bowl or the bucket of a bread machine. Pour the boiling water over the flour, and stir till smooth. Cover the bowl or bucket and set the mixture aside for 30 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the potato flour (or flakes or buds) and 1 cup of the remaining flour with the salt, oil and yeast. Add this to the cooled flour/water mixture, stir, then knead for several minutes (by hand, mixer or bread machine) to form a soft dough.

Note: You can allow the dough to go through the entire kneading cycle(s) in the bread machine, but it's not necessary; about a 5-minute knead in the machine, once it gets up to full kneading speed, is fine. The dough should form a ball, but will remain somewhat sticky (the dough is fairly stiff, so don't be worried - just be careful not to overflour the dough). Add additional flour only if necessary; if kneading by hand, keep your hands and work surface lightly oiled. Let the dough rise, covered, for 1 hour (a little longer is fine, I let mine rise for 2 1/2 hours).

Divide the dough into 8 pieces (each about the size of a handball, around 3 ounces), cover, and let rest for 15 to 30 minutes. Roll each piece into a 7- to 8-inch circle, and dry-fry them (fry without oil) on a griddle or frying pan over medium heat for about 1 minute per side (It took mine about 4 minutes per side so adjust for your stove and pan), until they're puffed and flecked with brown spots. Adjust the heat if they seem to be cooking either too quickly, or too slowly; cooking too quickly means they may be raw in the center, while too slowly will dry them out. Transfer the cooked breads to a wire rack, stacking them to keep them soft. Serve immediately, or cool slightly before storing in a plastic bag.

*This recipe works best with instant yeast because it dissolves during the kneading process, so you don't have to knead liquid into the dough. If you really prefer to use active dry yeast, use only 1 cup boiling water for the initial dough, dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup warm water, and add this mixture to the dough along with the potato flour mixture. It'll be somewhat "slippery" at first, but will knead in and eventually become smooth.

Crossroads Food Coop Feb. 2011

Today I picked up the following:
1 half gallon Farnsworth Apple Cider
1 package bacon
1 sourdough bread loaf
6 Stone Grounds multigrain rolls
1 package Colosimo's hot Italian Sausage
1 pound carrots
1 package coleslaw mix
2 lbs broccoli
5 pears
6 apples
6 oranges
3 lbs onions
5 lbs potatoes

All for $23.85.  The produce cost me $10. The sausage $3.75. Bacon $1.85. Rolls $3.15. Bread $2.10 and the apple cider $3.
Click on this link to find out how to order.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

This is a recipe that I've thought of making for a few years now but I always put it off and never make it. Well I finally got around to making them and I'm so upset I hadn't done it before. The flavors are really good and blend so well together. I was fearful of the honey and lime combo with chicken enchiladas but it really worked well. I've made these twice since I made them for the first time. I'm always finding the rotisserie chickens marked down at the store and looking for ways to use them and this recipe fits the bill. I believe the original recipe calls for flour tortillas but I much prefer corn tortillas in enchiladas. These also freeze well if your into making freezer dinners.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas
Wengmama on PYP
6 T honey
4 ½ T lime juice
1 T chili powder
½ tsp garlic powder
1 lb cooked shredded chicken
10 corn tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
2 10 oz cans green chili sauce
Queso Fresco to add at the end of cooking to the top

Mix sauce ingredients together with cooked chicken and let marinate for at least 30 min.
Pour ½ can of green sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Roll chicken up in tortillas with a little cheese and put in pan. When they are all rolled pour the chili sauce over top and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. Bake at 350 for 30 min.Sprinkle on Queso Fresco right before serving.

Cowboy Dinner

I love Melanie's food blog and if you haven't checked her out you really need go look and cook her dishes. I love the fact we seem to have very similar tastes in food. It's a great relationship because I can usually find on any given night about 10 to 15 choices in a dinner. She posted this recipe a few weeks ago. I love dishes so of course I had to give it a try. I wasn't disappointed in the least. I made a few changes mainly because I was short on ground chuck and I'm really not a fan of "ground" meat. I used half the meat and doubled the beans on top of using my favorite recipe for pinto beans. Overall not one person noticed I added more beans and less meat. Plus the flavor was so good. I can't wait to make this again.

Cowboy Dinner
adapted slightly from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Beef Mixture:1 pounds lean ground chuck
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 1/2 cups salsa (jarred or homemade)
3 cups pinto beans
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cornbread Topping:
½ cup cornmeal
1 ½ cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 ¼ cup milk

Preheat the oven to 375. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan and set aside.

In a large 12-inch skillet, brown the ground chuck and onion, adding the salt and pepper, over medium-high heat until the beef is no longer pink. Drain the grease from the pan. Stir in the corn, salsa, and beans. Pour the beef mixture into the prepared 9X13-inch baking pan and set aside.

For the cornbread, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center and add the oil, beaten eggs and milk. Whisk together until just moistened and no dry spots remain.

Sprinkle the cheese over the beef mixture and pour the cornbread batter over the cheese and beef mixture. Gently spread the cornbread to the edges of the pan, evening it out over the top of the casserole.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until the edges are bubbly and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Neo-Neopolitan Pizza Dough

I love the idea of homemade pizza but honestly it's been hard finding a really good dough recipe. I have posted several different recipes on here in the past and yes they will make a decent dough. However I think I have finally stumbled onto what I'd consider one of the best doughs ever. An added bonus you can freeze the dough for future use. Mixing the dough was simple and easy and it requires only a few ingredients. You do need to plan ahead since it needs an overnight rest in the fridge. The dough was crisp yet chewy. I made three different types, pan pizza (which requires a longer cooking time then listed in the recipe), pizza done on a baking stone, and finally I used a cooking sheet. My favorite was on the baking stone followed by the cooking sheet. The pan pizza took forever to cook all the way through and the bottom was burned. I think my problem was I should have used less dough for the pan pizza. I also made bread sticks with the dough and they were great too.

Neo-Neopolitan Pizza DoughPeter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day

5 1/3 cups (24 oz./680 g) unbleached bread flour
2 teaspoons (0.5 oz./14 g) salt or 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon (0.11 oz./3 g) instant yeast
2 tablespoons (1 oz./ 28.5 g) sugar, or 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (17 oz./ 482 g) water, at room temperature
2 tablespoons (1 oz./28.5 g) olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Using a mixer, use the paddle attachment and mix on the lowest speed for one minute. The dough should be coarse and slightly sticky. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes to fully hydrate.
Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium low speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until the dough is smoother but still soft, supple, and somewhere between tacky and sticky.
Spread 1 teaspoon of olive oil on a work surface, then use a bowl scraper to transfer dough to the oiled surface. Rub your hands with the oil on the work surface, knead the dough about 3-4 times then shape into a ball. (Note: Peter Reinhart has a different technique but I went with this simple one when I did my dough.) Divide the ball into 5 equal pieces, each weighing 8 ounces (227 g). Form each piece into a ball, then place each into a separate sandwich size freezer bag misted with spray oil. Seal the bag and refrigerate overnight or up to 4 days, or in the freezer for several months (take out at least one day before you want to make your pizza and store in the fridge).

Baking day:
About 90 minutes before you plan to bake the pizzas, place the desired number of dough balls on a lightly oiled surface. With oiled hands, stretch and round each piece into a tight ball, then place them on a pan that's been lightly oiled (preferably with olive oil). Loosely cover with plastic wrap to rest at room temperature until ready to bake.
About 1 hour before baking the pizzas, preheat the oven and baking stone as high as the oven will go. If your not using a pizza stone, assemble the pizzas on baking sheets, covered with parchment or oiled with olive oil, which is what I did. (Note: I did not preheat my other pans that I used.)

Assemble and bake:
Put about 1 cup flour in a bowl. Use some of it to dust the work surface, and your hands. Put one of the dough balls in the flour to coat the bottom. Transfer to the work surface and gently tap it down with your fingers to form a disk. Slide the backs of your hands under the dough, then lift it and begin to rotate it, using your thumbs to coax the edges of the dough into a larger circle. Don't stretch the dough with the backs of your hands or your knuckles, let your thumbs do all the work. If the dough starts to resist or shrink back, set it on the floured surface and let it rest for a minute or two. Move onto another ball. Continue working the dough and resting, as needed until it is about 10 to 12 inches in diameter. It should be thicker at the edges than in the center and the center should be thin but not paper thin. If the dough rips, you can try to patch it or you can form it back into a ball, move on to another dough ball, and try again in 15 to 20 minutes. (Note: I had kids helping me and mine were not done perfectly, in fact the kids rolled the dough with rolling pins. Don't stress if it doesn't work with the directions just find a method, like the rolling pin, that works for you. No one could tell which one I had done with my hands and which I had rolled.)
When the crust is ready to be topped transfer it to the cooking pan. Place flour on the stone or oil your pans. Top the pizza as desired and slide it into the oven.
Bake for about 4 minutes, then turn the pan around. It can take another 5 to 7 minutes for the pizza to fully cook. The edges should puff up and be a golden brown, perhaps even slightly charred (which adds loads of flavor surprisingly).
Remove pizza, garnish as desired, then let it cool for 1 minute before slicing or serving.

No Bake Peanut Butter Crunch Bars

I noticed this recipe and thought was a perfect solution to my desire to have granola bars on hand. I hate coconut and almost all commercially available bars have coconut in them. The thing I really love about this recipe is you can switch ingredients with others and have hundreds of options available. I used cereals that were whole grain but if you could use regular cereal if you'd prefer and still have granola bars that are less sugary then the ones you buy at the store. Also you can leave the nuts out if you want or sub another type. I've made this with cashews, macadamia nuts, and almonds. Sub out the peanut butter for almond butter or hazelnut butter. Same thing for the dried fruit. I've used pretty much every type out there and it still tastes great. Plus these are easy to make for something that tastes much better than store bought bars.

No Bake Peanut Butter Crunch Bars
Women's Day Magazine Sept. 2010

2 cups slightly crushed whole grain flake cereal
2 cups whole grain puffed rice cereal
1 cup dried fruit of your choice (cranberry is what the original recipe calls for)
1/2 cup unsalted nuts of your choice (cocktail nuts is what the original recipe calls for)
1/2 cup natural peanut butter (or any butter of your choice, the original recipe calls for reduced fat peanut butter but I much prefer the more healthy natural kind)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

Line a 13 by 9 inch baking pan with nonstick foil (let the foil extend about 2 inches above pan at both ends).
Mix cereals, fruit, and nuts in a large bowl.
Mix peanut butter, sugar, honey and butter in 2 qt. saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly; simmer for 1 minute.
Immediately stir into cereal mixture tossing to evenly coat. Coat hands with cooking spray, then use them to spread and press the mixture in prepared pan.  Chill until firm, about one hour.
Holding foil by ends, lift from pan onto a cutting board. Carefully cut lengthwise in 4 strips and then cut each strip in 6; remove foil.

Broccoli with Cheese Sauce

I love broccoli with cheese. I don't think I've ever passed up the dish or the soup. There is just something about it that draws me to it. However I usually have or are served a mixture of glop with cheese when it comes to broccoli with cheese sauce. The frozen versions are not worth purchasing even if they are free. Well lucky for me Cook's Country made a dish that far exceeds my expectations in broccoli with cheese sauce. An added bonus is it was really quite easy to make. Yes it takes longer than the frozen version but the taste is so far superior I don't think you could ever eat the frozen version again.

Broccoli with Cheese Sauce
Cook's Country Magazine Feb./March 2011

2 pounds broccoli, florets cut into 1 inch pieces, stems peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 teaspoons all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Adjust oven rack to lower middle position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees.
After 15 minutes, toss broccoli, oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Arrange broccoli in single layer on hot baking sheet. Bake until spotty brown, 15 to 18 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.
Meanwhile, melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, mustard, and cayenne and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in half and half and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Off heat, whisk in Monterey Jack and cheddar, until smooth. Stir in Parmesan until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Serve sauce over broccoli.

Weeknight Chicken

If your looking for a simple baked chicken dish for busy nights look no further. This chicken dish was simple to make with little hands on time and tasted liked you spent hours cooking it. Don't be tempted to use boneless skinless chicken on this dish as, trust me, you need the skin and bones. I did not have fresh thyme on hand so I use fresh parsley, which was fine by me as I'm not a huge fan of thyme. The sauce you make at the end puts the finishing touch on a simple and easy to make dinner. Much better than a frozen dinner or even take out.

Weeknight Chicken
Cook's Country March 2011

1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch
1 cup white wine (I used chicken broth the first time and white wine the second, I much prefer it with the wine but it tastes fine with extra chicken broth)
4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme (I used parsley)
3 pounds bone in skin on chicken pieces
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk 2 tablespoons broth and corn starch in small bowl until no lumps remain; reserve. Combine remaining broth, wine, garlic, and thyme in large measuring cup.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in large oven safe skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Cook chicken, skin side down, until well browned, 6 to 10 minutes. Flip and cook until lightly browned on second side, about 2 minutes.

Slowly pour broth mixture into skillet and bring to a boil. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until white meat registers 160 degrees and dark meat registers 175 degrees, 12 to 18 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter and tent with aluminum foil. Discard garlic.

Pour pan juices into liquid measuring cup; skim and discard fat. Return 1 1/2 cups defatted pan juices to now empty skillet and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until sauce is reduced to 1 cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Add reserved cornstarch mixture and simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Off heat, whisk in butter. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing sauce at table.

Bacon Pierogi Bake and Winner of the Giveaway

My first memories of pierogi's is at my aunt's house in Pennsylvania. I don't remember how old I was but they were mighty tasty. A few years ago I discovered they had frozen pierogi's and although they were no where as good as my aunt's it helped with the craving I've had for them. I noticed this recipe in a Cooking Light magazine and decided to give it a try. The dish really helps to improve the taste of frozen pierogi's. It's a really nice combination of flavors.  The cream cheese blended well with the cheddar cheese into a delightful sauce. The original recipe calls for tomatoes but I'm so not a fan of grocery store tomatoes at this time of year so I left them off.

The winner of the Pickapeppa Sauce is Melanie.  Email me at n_baron@msn.com and I'll get a bottle on it's way shortly.

Bacon Pierogi Bake
Cooking Light Magazine December 2010

1  (16-ounce) package frozen potato and onion pierogies (such as Mrs. T's)
Cooking spray
2  center-cut bacon slices, chopped
2  garlic cloves, minced
1/3  cup  (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1/2  cup  fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1/2  cup  (2 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4  cup  thinly diagonally sliced green onions
1/4  cup  chopped seeded plum tomato
1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Arrange the pierogies in an 11 x 7-inch glass baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cook bacon in a saucepan over medium heat until crisp; remove from pan. Set aside.

3. Add garlic to drippings in pan, and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add 1/3 cup cream cheese to pan, and cook for 1 minute or until cream cheese begins to melt, stirring frequently. Gradually add chicken broth to pan, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Pour the cream cheese mixture evenly over pierogies. Top evenly with 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until bubbly and thoroughly heated. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with bacon, green onions, tomato, and pepper.
Nutritional Information

Heath Bar Cake

Mel from Mel's Kitchen Cafe posted this Monday.  I called my husband on his way home from the gym to stop and buy the Heath bars so I could make this cake that night.  It sounded that good to me.  And it did taste as good as it looked on Mel's blog.  Oh it was one of the best tasting cakes I've ever made or eaten.  My favorite parts were the edges of the cake but honestly all parts of this cake were great.  I used six candy bars since I love Heath bars.  Also I had a little bit of caramel sauce leftover from banana splits the night before so I threw some of that on top before baking.  Overall it was a great cake and one that I'm drooling just thinking about it again.

Also don't forget to enter into the contest I am having here.


Heath Bar Cake
Mel at Mel's Kitchen Cafe


1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
5-6 (1.4 ounces each) chocolate covered toffee bars (like Heath), chopped
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and center a rack in the middle of the oven. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, white sugar, flour and butter. Crumble these ingredients together with a pastry blender, whisk or two forks until the mixture is crumbly and coarse. Remove 1/2 cup of the crumbs to a small bowl and set aside. To the large bowl with the remaining crumbs, add the buttermilk, egg, vanilla, baking soda and salt. Mix well.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it to the edges. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the reserved crumbs and chopped Heath bars. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the center is no longer gooey but a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs. The cake may fall slightly in the center leaving the edges raised. No fear! It will still be delicious.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

I love spinach artichoke dip.  I know it's one of those things that you either love or you hate.  Sadly the dish is loaded with fat and calories.  Cooking Light listed a recipe for a lower fat and calorie version of this dish and of course I had to give it a try.  I read through all the comments on this dish and then referred to my favorite recipe from Cook's Country and then combined a little from all three places to make this to die for dip.  Honestly I have to say the dip I served on Christmas day was the best spinach artichoke dip I have ever eaten.  You couldn't tell it was low fat or lower in calories.  I made this dish on Christmas Eve so the flavors combined overnight and I find this to be a crucial step as I made this same dish again for New Years and didn't let it sit in the fridge overnight and it was no were as good.  Also don't forget to enter the giveaway I am having here.

Spinach Artichoke Dip
adapted from Cooking Light Magazine September 2000

2  cups  (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2  cup  fat-free sour cream
1/4  cup  (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
3  garlic cloves, crushed
1  (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1  (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1  (8-ounce) block fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/2  (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 teaspoon horseradish
about 5 drops of Tabasco sauce
 
Preparation



Combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, sour cream, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and next 8 ingredients (2 tablespoons Parmesan through Tabasco sauce) in a large bowl, and stir until well-blended. Spoon mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
Refrigerate over night or at least 6 hours.
Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Serve with tortilla chips.

Easy Appetizer and a Giveaway

I'll be very honest here the sauce featured in this dish is either going to be one you like or you don't like.  Pickapeppa Sauce has a very unique flavor that can be a turn off for some.  However if you like Worcestershire sauce you should like this sauce.  The ingredient list is pretty decent for a processed food item: tomatoes, onions, sugar, cane vinegar, mangoes, raisins, garlic, salt, peppers, thyme, and cloves.  I have a southern friend who swears by this stuff and she's the one who told me about this appetizer.  She tells me she uses it in salad dressings, gravies, cheese dishes, and with seafood.  I've only tried it in gravy and in this appetizer.  I've found this in most grocery stores here in Utah so obviously others use this but it was a new find for me.  And now you can have a chance to try this for free.  Leave a comment telling me of any other nifty things you buy in the grocery store and I'll enter you to win a bottle of this sauce.  If your one who wants more entries mention it on your blog and/or facebook and come back here and leave me a comment telling me you did and you'll get an extra entry for every comment you made telling me where you shared it.  The contest runs until midnight January 20th.

Easy Appetizer
Christy Carlsen

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, low fat, non fat, or regular at room temperature
half a bottle of Pickapeppa Sauce

Pour the Pickapeppa sauce over the cream cheese and serve.  Provide pretzels, crackers, or chips to dip into the appetizer. 

Vietnamese Pho with Beef

I've been wanting to make this soup for several years.  I probably have hundreds of magazines and cookbooks with the recipe for this dish yet I always had some reason why I didn't make it.  Well I finally gave it a try.  I have to say I like the soup.  It's probably not authentic but for someone who until about 15 years ago wouldn't touch anything that was American cooking I found it pleasantly good.  After smelling the 5 spice powder I had my doubts cause it didn't really smell good. Tip on the 5 spice powder look for it at a local Asian store.  I paid $1.99 for a nice size bottle for it there.  The local grocery store wanted $8.99 for a 2 oz. bottle. Nice thing is the soup didn't taste like the smell of the spice at all.  I'll admit I chickened out on using the fish sauce.  I bought the fish sauce and planned on using it but after opening the container I just couldn't do it.  If you know me you know I don't like fish or things that smell like fish.  I used soy sauce and my sweet husband swears you couldn't tell I had used soy sauce.   Overall this was a very fast dish to put together and made it to the table in less than 25 minutes.  Not bad for a night you really want take out.

Vietnamese Pho with Beef
The Best Simple Recipes America's Test Kitchen

8 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, halved lengthwise, and smashed
3 2 1/2 inch strips zest and 1 tablespoon juice from one lime
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
8 ounces thick rice noodles
1 pound sirloin steak tips, sliced thin
3 tablespoons fish sauce (note I used low sodium soy sauce)
1 teaspoon Asian chili garlic sauce
4 scallions, sliced thin
1/4 cup fresh whole cilantro leaves

Bring broth, ginger, lime zest, and five spice powder to boil in dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add noodles and cook until nearly tender, about 5 minutes.  Stir in beef and simmer until cooked through and noodles are completely tender, about 2 minutes.

Off heat, stir in fish (soy) sauce, chili garlic sauce, and lime juice.  Remove ginger and zest with slotted spoon.  Stir in scallions and cilantro.  Serves 4.

Parmesan Pork Cutlets

This was a very simple and easy dish to make.  An added bonus is that it tasted really good.  The coating was crunchy and the pork was tender and moist.  It also has only a handful of ingredients that are quite easy to keep on hand for those nights when takeout is calling your name.  The only thing I will change in the future is adding some garlic powder since I love the flavor of pork with garlic.  I also think these pork cutlets would be great for a pork sandwich.  I love making little sandwiches out of cutlets and these would be very tasty as a sandwich.

Parmesan Pork Cutlets
The Best Simple Recipes from America's Test Kitchen

1/ 2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, use the large holes on the grater
4 thin cut boneless pork cutlets (about 12 ounces), you can also use pork tenderloin and cut thin and pound into a cutler

Place flour in a shallow dish.  Beat eggs in a second shallow dish.  Combine panko, Parmesan, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in third shallow dish.  Pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.

One at a time, dredge cutlets in flour, dip in egg, and coat with bread crumb mixture, pressing to adhere.

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Fry 2 cutlets until deep golden and crisp, about 3 minutes on each side.  Drain on paper towel lined plate.  Wipe out skillet and repeat with remaining oil and cutlets.  Serves 4.

Pizza Twists

The latest King Arthur Flour catalog came and these were featured in the catalog.  Honestly if you don't get this catalog you need to sign up for it not only do they have neat stuff to buy that there are usually several recipes included.  I've never made anything from King Arthur that hasn't turned out good.  I decided however that I wanted to serve these as a meal so I added some ingredients.  I chopped up pepperoni into small chunks and microwaved them for a minute to cut out some of the fat.  I also chopped up mushrooms, green peppers, and onions.  Overall the flavor was amazing.  So without making you wait any longer here is the recipe with my changes, click on the link to see the original recipe.

Pizza Twists
King Arthur Flour

3/4 cup lukewarm water (about 110°F)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Pizza Dough Flavor, optional
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 3/4 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/3 cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

Filling

1/4 cup shredded blend of cheese, I used asiago and parmesan
1 teaspoon pizza seasoning or the dried herbs of your choice
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup finely shredded mozzarella or pizza-blend cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil or garlic oil
about 4 ounces of pepperoni chopped into chunks
2 medium size white mushrooms chopped
1/4 of a green pepper, chopped
about 1/4 of a yellow onion, chopped

1) Mix, then knead the dough ingredients to make a smooth, elastic dough, about 5 to 10 minutes.

2) Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it with lightly greased plastic wrap, and let it rise until it's doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

3) Make the filling by stirring together the cheese powder, Pizza Seasoning, melted butter, and water.

4) Grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment.

5) Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased work surface. Pat, then roll it into a 20" x 10" rectangle.

6) Spread the dough with the filling, leaving 1/2" free of filling along the long edges. Sprinkle with the shredded cheese.

7) Fold the dough in half so the long sides (free of filling) meet. Press together by rolling over the dough with a rolling pin. Cut into twenty 1" slices.

8) Place the slices about 1" apart on the prepared pan, twisting them as you lay them down. Brush with olive oil or garlic oil.

9) Cover and let rise for about 1 hour, or until puffy. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 375°F.

10) Bake the twists for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they're light golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and serve warm with pizza sauce or marinara, if desired.

Yield: 20 twists.

Ham Salad

So you made the Dr. Pepper ham from yesterday's post and you have leftovers.  Well here is a very easy recipe to use up the leftover ham.  It took about 8 minutes from start to finish to make this dish and it served dh and I lunch for three days.  The salad isn't loaded with mayo and it has a nice combination of flavors.  Add some spinach or arguala to your roll or bread and it makes a fairly nice lunch that you can tote with you or have on a Saturday afternoon.  If your like me and not really a fan of ham salad, having only had the mayo heavy ones at the deli or those really gross canned ones in the past, you really need to give this ham salad a try.  Trust me you won't be disappointed.

 Ham Salad
Cook's Country April/May 2010 magazine

1 1/2 cups diced ham, rind removed
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Pulse ham in bowl of food processor until coarsely chopped, about ten one second pulses.

Combine mayonnaise, relish, mustard, and pepper in a medium bowl.  Add ham and mix.  Serve chilled.

Dr. Pepper Glazed Ham

This ham is amongst the best I've ever made.  I love cooking the ham in the oven bag as it keeps it moist and it doesn't get all dried out.  The glaze is really easy to make and put together plus it tastes loads better than the sugary glaze that comes with the ham.  The Dr. Pepper provides a fruit taste but the orange juice and mustard keep it from being overly fruity and sweet.  A great recipe to try at Christmas or Easter and I promise you won't be disappointed.

Dr. Pepper Glazed Ham
Cook's County Best Lost Suppers Cookbook

1 7-10 pound spiral sliced bone in half ham, preferably shank end
1 plastic oven bag
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup dr. pepper
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons dijon mustard

Bring Dr. Pepper, sugar, orange juice and mustard to boil in medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until mixture is syrupy and measures 1 1/2 cups, about 8 minutes and let cool.

Remove Ham from packaging and discard plastic disk that covers bone. Place ham in plastic oven bag (or foil), tie bag shut, and trim excess plastic. Set ham cut side down in 13x9 inch baking dish. Cut 4 slits in top of oven bag if used. If using foil, place ham cut side down in baking dish and wrap tightly. Let stand at room temp for 1 1/2 hours.

Adjust oven rack to lowest possible position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Bake ham until center registers about 100 degrees on instant read thermometer, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, depending on weight of ham.

Remove ham from oven and roll back sides of bag to expose ham. Brush ham liberally with glaze and return to oven briefly until glaze becomes sticky, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, brush entire ham again with glaze, loosely cover with foil and let rest for 30 to 40 minutes before carving.