Holiday Ham

Tonight our supper has a definite holiday feel to it. It's cold and wet here in Fort Wayne and that means it's the perfect night for comfort food. I had ham steaks but wasn't sure what I wanted to do w/ them other than something special to go along w/ the winter squash, cranberry stuffing and applesauce I had planned. I love ham at the holidays, but make it year round and sometimes very simply. But tonight I wanted to do something different; and I thought the oven would be great to warm up the house! I searched online for "baked ham steaks" and found this recipe at Cooks.com and am really excited about trying it. Very simple and the smells from just assembling it are amazing--can't wait to taste it!

Baked Ham Steaks w/ Glaze
4 ham steaks about 1/2 inch thick
4 tsp prepared mustard
8 TBS brown sugar
1/2 cup apple juice or cider (I used juice)

Dry off steaks if moist. Place in 9x13 baking dish. Spread 1 tsp mustard over each and sprinkle w/ 2 TBS brown sugar each. Add apple juice around steaks and bake @ 350º for 20 minutes.

Not So Snappy

My father in law loves ginger snaps; and he has passed this onto my son. But sometimes for Alex, certain kinds can be a little too hard for his little teeth, especially now that they are starting to fall out :-) So when I got this recipe this morning from my fellow blogger Real Mom's Kitchen I immediately thought of both of them. Alex b/c this would give him the taste he loves w/o all the crunch and b/c anything he can dip is totally fun; and my father in law b/c anything like resembles a ginger snap reminds me of him! I can't wait to try them and see if they are as yummy as they look/sound.

Chewy Ginger Cookies
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) I Can't Believe It's ® All Purpose Sticks
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
1/3 cup Demerara, turbinado or granulated sugar (I will use granulated)

Preheat oven to 350º. Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in medium bowl; set aside. Beat margarine w/ 1 cup granulated sugar in large bowl w/ electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until blended. Stir in molasses. Gradually stir in flour mixture just until blended. Gently roll dough into 1 inch balls w/ lightly floured hands, then roll in granulated sugar. Arrange on ungreased baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake 8 minutes or until cookie edges are firm. Cool sheets 2 minutes on wire rack; remove cookies from sheets and cool completely. 


Gingersnap Dip
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 8 oz tub Cool Whip, thawed

In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and pumpkin spice. Beat in Cool Whip until blended. Refrigerate until serving.

Fa La La La La La La La

Yep, my favorite time of year is once again here! I love Christmas. And when I say love, I mean LOVE. I adore everything about it. The spirit of goodwill in the air, the lights, the food, the festivities, picking out the perfect gift, the sparkle and joy in my son's eyes, celebrating Christ's birth....EVERYTHING. So there is a good chance between now and Dec. 25th, a majority of my posts will be Christmas related :-)
The first is actually a decorating project that involves food. When I was little our church had an Advent Workshop each year before Christmas. There were crafts, food, and a ton of holiday activities for kids. I always looked forward to it and it was one of the highlights of the season for me. These were something I made each year and can't wait to share them w/ Alex this year!

Applesauce Ornaments
1 lb. jar sweetened applesauce, drained
8 oz. ground cinnamon

In a mixing bowl, gradually combine applesauce w/ ground cinnamon, alternating until consistency of cookie dough.

Measure out 1 cup of mixture & pat into dough until 1/4 inch thick on wax paper.

Cut w/ cookie cutters. Make a hole in each w/ a toothpick at the top.

Dry in a warm place for a week, turning every day.

Meal Plan November 28-Dec 3

Sunday
Shell Pasta w/ Homemade Mushroom Cream Sauce

Monday
Smoked Sausage
Sauerkraut
Peas

Tuesday
Ham Steaks
Cranberry Stuffing
Applesauce
Winter Squash

Wednesday
Beef Stir Fry
Fried Rice

Thursday
Baked Mostacolli
Garlic Bread

Friday
Alex is spending the night at Mimi's, so I didn't plan anything.

Tradition With a New Twist

The other day while helping me to find a recipe for traditional Ambrosia salad, my mom stumbled upon this salad and suggested it to me. Although I won't be making it for Thanksgiving, I am definitely going to be trying it for one of our Christmas meals. But w/ the cranberry addition I think it would be the perfect Thanksgiving side dish. I love a traditional Waldorf Salad, and the cranberries would give this one a really nice "kick".  I love salads that also give you a little something sweet on your plate; and can't wait to try this one.

Cranberry Waldorf Salad
1 pack cranberries ground ( I am going to put mine in the food processor and pulse a couple times)
3 cups mini marshmallows
2 cups diced apples
1 cup grapes, cut in half
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 chopped walnuts
1 tub Cool Whip

Mix the 4 first ingredients and chill overnight. The next day, add the other 4 and serve chilled.