Calling All Ham Experts!!!

So, this Christmas will be bringing me a new experience....cooking a ham.  When it comes to ham, I've always gone the safe route--either make a trip to Honey Baked Ham or rely on my mom to cook one.  I really have no clue what I'm getting myself into. 

If you read my HodgePodge post, you read what happened between the grocery cart and my kitchen counter--the netting *WITH THE DIRECTIONS* disappeared!!!  How does this happen?!?!?  I've never had that happen before, and I've bought my share of turkeys and chickens over the years.  Thankfully, I was able to call the grocery store and speak to this really sweet girl in the meat dept. who gave me the directions.  :o)

Here's my question(s):

The directions say to add water to the pan before putting it into the oven.  Um, how much????  Also, it says to baste as needed.  Baste it with what?  The water?  The directions mention nothing about any type of seasoning, so I'm clueless here. 

I don't want to do any kind of sweet glaze because hubby likes a very traditional tasting ham.  I just want a ham that has a good, simple flavor, and one that doesn't turn out too dry.  It's a 9 lb. spiral sliced ham that's supposed to be cooked 15 min. per lb.

Help, please!

More Paula Deen...thanks to CSN!

Okay, if you have NEVER visited CSN stores online, then you are missing out on such a treat!  They have been so great to me as a reviewer, and I simply cannot say enough great things about them.  ;o)  You may remember a few months ago where I mentioned that I would soon have another opportunity to review some products from their site.  I decided to expand my collection of Paula Deen cookware, and chose to review three products:  a 9x9 baker, a pie plate, and a mixing cup.  Let me just tell you...I love them all!

First up, the 9x9 baker. 

Now, I love to cook.  I particularly love to bake....and pretty much anything cooked in my sweet little oven I will eat.  The desserts are the best.... *happy sigh*  (Oh, dear, I'm getting carried away.)  I decided that I wanted to try my barbecue baked chicken recipe in this perfect-sized baker.  Not only is it perfect for chicken (think 3-4 lb. whole chicken), it is also perfect for yummy things like cornbread and brownies....commence drooling now.  :o)  The baked chicken recipe that I use is no fuss, and doesn't require that there be a lot of extra space in a baking dish.  That's when I knew this sweet little baker would be baking my chickens from this point forward.  It cooks like a dream--so evenly--and it's also provides a great presentation for the food. 

Next, I tried out the pie plate.  Now, while I love to bake, baking pies has never been one of my strong suits.  I love to bake cakes, rolls, breads, cookies, and just about anything else you can think of, but pies always seem to cause me problems (mostly, because I fill the shell too full, I think).  But in an effort to master pie making, I decided to try out this beautiful Paula Deen pie plate from CSN.  The recipe of the day for the pie plate was a Coconut Chess Pie....and trust me, you'll want this recipe (link at the bottom of this post)!  I've always wanted to try my hand at Coconut Chess Pie thanks to it being a dessert item on the menu at Texas de Brazil.  Mine was nothing like there's...in fact, I think it was better.  (I may be on the road to success with pie making after all!)  Cooked in this gorgeous plate, I don't think I'll ever have another pie problem again.  Just like the baker, the pie plate cooks so evenly, and this pie looked awesome when it came out of the oven!  After little more than a couple of hours, there was none of it left at my house...pie making success!

Also, while making the pie, I tried out Paula's handy little measuring cup.  Just like the other two pieces (and everything else in this line), it's beautiful.  The colors that are on these pieces are a mix between brown, rust, red, and green, and they all match perfectly.  This measuring cup is ideal for wet ingredients more than anything else...the dry ones weren't really doing as well.  Because I think it's use is more for decor than function, this probably won't be my every day measuring cup.  The measurements are printed on the inside, and because it's a stoneware cup and not a glass one, I really had to shake the dry ingredients around to make sure I had the proper measurements. 

Hey, if you're looking for a very nice gift for someone's kitchen, these or any of the other pieces in Paula Deen's stoneware collection are an excellent choice.  Each one is in a great price range, and would be ideal for a newlywed or maybe a couple's housewarming party.  All I know is that I'm a fan of this collection for life!

**Click here for the Coconut Chess Pie recipe.
**Click here for the Barbecue Baked Chicken recipe.  (Note:  I do not use the stuffing mix that is called for in this recipe.)
**Click here for my other Paula Deen Stoneware review.

Chess Squares Recipe



Well, it's that time of year again!  Time to start breaking out the cookbooks, and working on the meal plans for holiday dinners.  :o)  Personally, I love it.  I love putting out a spread and having my whole family over for Thanksgiving.  I dole out responsibilities to a few people--my mom must always bring her banana pudding, my mother-in-law must always make the dressing, my aunt must always bring her green bean casserole and deviled eggs...you get the picture.  Unfortunately, this year, we'll be out of town...so the Thanksgiving spread at my house won't happen again until next year (at least, I hope it does).  We'll be visiting some family, so the best recipes for me to make this year are ones that don't require refrigeration or to stay hot.  So....here's one of my mainstays that I know I'll be toting to Thanksgiving this year....and it's soooo easy!  (I apologize that I don't have a pic.)

Chess Squares

Crust:

1 Box butter cake mix
1 Stick butter
1 egg

Filling:

1 8 oz. box cream cheese
3 eggs
1 lb. box powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all of the crust ingredients together and press into a 9X13 baking dish.  Next, mix all of the filling ingredients together.  Pour on top of crust.  Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.  Wait until cool before cutting into squares.

Couple of suggestions:

*I've found that I Can't Believe It's Not Butter works best for the crust.  I have tried all sorts of different brands, and find this one works best.

*Nuke the cream cheese just a bit before you start to mix it with the other filling ingredients.  Otherwise, it's a pain to try to mix.

I'm linking up to Amy's 2nd Annual Fall Festival Recipe Exchange.

Paula Deen and a Giveaway, Too!

Well, the time has finally come to share some goodies with y'all!! A few weeks ago, I blogged about getting the chance to do my first product review courtesy of CSNStores.com. Not only was I getting the chance to do the review, but there was also a surprise in the works for my readers. So, sit back with your cup of coffee or tea, and be prepared to drool at least a little. :o)

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My first item up for review is the Paula Deen 9 X 13 Stoneware Baker. It's first use was for this delectable little recipe I came across a few weeks ago for Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls. I originally saw the recipe over at Colletta's blog, Colletta's Kitchen Sink. Then, when I realized I was about to get a new baker, I thought....what a perfect first recipe! :o)

I love every single thing about this piece! Even though it's color is not even remotely part of my overall kitchen color scheme, that won't stop me one bit from using it. I love the enamel finish since nothing else in my kitchen has it, and it helps me build upon my existing cookware pieces. Probably my favorite thing about it (as well as the loaf pan coming up next) is that they're so easy to clean! All of my other stoneware pieces (mostly from Pampered Chef) cannot be washed with soap because the stoneware is so porous. The Paula Deen collection of stoneware, however, is dishwasher safe, and even if I didn't want to use the dishwasher to wash it, it doesn't matter because I can have this thing washed and rinsed in a snap!
Next up is the Paula Deen 9 X5 Stoneware Loaf Pan. Now, I am no expert when it comes to making bread....which is why the actual loaf of bread itself is not very attractive. But in this case, I'm fortunate that it didn't have to look all that pretty to still taste good. This particular loaf of bread is Milk and Honey Bread. Definitely a first-time recipe for me with my first-time use of this pan. I was so very pleased at how evenly the bread cooked, with the bottom of the loaf turning a perfect golden brown. The recipe itself called for the pan to be sprayed before I put the dough in. When I went to remove the bread from the pan after it had cooked and cooled, I was so impressed that there was nothing stuck to the bottom of the pan! I don't always get those results from some of my other pans! And just like the 9 X 13 Baker, it was the easiest cleanup you ever saw! I told hubby that he better watch out....I may become a bread-making machine!

And last, but not least, the third item up for review is one of her books--Paula Deen's Kitchen Wisdom and Recipe Journal. I haven't had a chance yet to use this book really the way it's supposed to be used, but oh, how I know it will come in handy in my kitchen! :o) The whole book is divided into three sections with tabs for each section, and lots of blank pages throughout to list favorite recipes or recipes that are from friends and family. And occasionally, there's a little tidbit of wisdom from Ms. Paula herself. I tell ya, this girl is country as cornbread, and it shows when she goes to "talking" in the book. I can't wait to start fillin' this thing up with all sorts of recipes, especially the ones from my family. I already know the first one that I'll write in there--my mom's recipe for Lemon Icebox Pie....yum!

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So, I promised some goodies, too, didn't I? Well, the great folks at CSNStores are offering 2 great items for one lucky person. First up, you have the chance to win your own copy of Paula Deen's Kitchen Wisdom and Recipe Journal as well as the Paula Deen Cookbook Stand in Antique Bronze. Both of these items are great, and have a value of $27! Who can pass up TWO ITEMS that great for free?!?! :o)

Here's how it'll work:

Option 1--Leave a comment with your email address for one entry. If you do not leave an email address, your entry will be tossed out.

Option 2--Leave a comment and become a follower or subscriber to my blog for two entries.

Option 3--Leave a comment, become a follower/subscriber, and post this giveaway on your blog for 3 entries.

The giveaway will be open through Wednesday, March 24th, and the drawing will take place on Thursday, March 25th. The winner will be contacted by email within 24 hours of the drawing, and will need to provide their mailing address and phone number to receive their free items. Contest is limited to US addresses only.

One other footnote....

To keep this post from being so long, I did not include the recipes for the Milk and Honey Bread or the Lemon Icebox Pie. The bread recipe is from one of my other cookbooks, and the pie is my mom's recipe. If you're interested in either recipe, send me an email (my email addy is up at the top of the blog) and I'd be happy to pass them on to you.

Look what happens when you unpack!!

Well, since Wednesday, my book/craft room has made a dramatic improvement! I can actually see the floor, and there are far less boxes in there! :o) I managed to unpack stuff that was still packed from when Alex and I moved last year into an apartment. Don't you just love it when you find something that you forgot you had? It makes me feel like I've just gone on a really good shopping trip, if you know what I mean.... :o) I think I managed to find all my art supplies that were just hidden away for the longest time. Makes me wanna break out the pencils, ink, and paper and get to drawing or something......hopefully, I'll have some time for that soon because I'm really itching to do it.

Unpacking is not all that I wanted to share with you in this post. Alex asked me to cook something for breakfast this morning so that he'd have something to take to work for a Bible study that he's part of. So, I got this recipe from my mother-in-law last night, and I was just praying it would be a success. I'm always a little nervous about cooking new things, especially when I'm not there to try it myself. Anyway, it was a Honey Bun Cake, and apparently, it was a hit! :o) Here's the recipe, if you're interested.....

Honey Bun Cake

Cake Mixture
1 box yellow cake mix
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs

Nut Mixture
1 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar

Glaze Mixture
3/4 cup milk
3 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 9' X 13' pan with Pam cooking spray. Mix all cake ingredients together. Pour half of cake mixture into pan. Mix nut mixture, and sprinkle 1/3 of it on top of cake mixture already in pan. Pour in remaining half of cake mixture. Sprinkle another 1/3 of nut mixture on top of cake mixture. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes. Upon removing from oven, use the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes in top of cake. Mix glaze mixture together, then pour on top of cake and let it seep through the holes. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 mixture on top of glaze. Enjoy!!

Hopefully, there'll be at least one piece left that he can bring home to me because I really would like to try it! :o)

As far as books go, I'm in the middle of two right now--True Valor by Dee Henderson and Ruby Among Us by Tina Ann Forkner (which I mentioned in my last post). Both seem to be taking a lot of time to get into, in my opinion. I hope they'll pick up soon because I'm really struggling to keep reading them!!