Easter Blessings: Baked Ham

I want to dedicate this Easter article to my mom, Wava Marshall. She is completely the reason why I have so many recipes to share and she is my inspiration for cooking. I have always loved my mom, but especially since losing my dad last November, I find myself wanting to honor her more and to be there more for her. She lives some distance away, so I don't see her nearly enough to satisfy either of us, but I take every chance I get to go and be with her.

Since I am dedicating this to my mom, I'm going to copy from her cookbook, the very small section on Easter from the Holiday Family Favorites section of her cookbook. It's very short and I'm sharing one of the recipes she shares in that section. Wish this book was not out of print, but she only did so many and no longer has any more printed. Hope you will all enjoy this little glimpse of my mom.

Easter is always a very special time of year to celebrate. We always dressed in our Easter apparel and began the day worshiping the Lord. Our traditional menu for Easter follows:

• baked ham with pineapple glaze
• mashed potatoes
• escalloped corn
• relish tray
• creamed peas
• fresh apple salad
• hot rolls
• cherry pie
• coffee and milk

This menu was my son's favorite. Though he is no longer living, he seems very near to me as I write this favorite of his and each time I prepare this, his favorite meal.

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Baked Ham

Ingredients:

• 1 full-cooked ham (preferably on the bone)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup sliced pineapple
• maraschino cherries (with stems)
• 1 cup black coffee (not strong)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Remove wrappings from ham. Place in roasting pan and bake 20 minutes per pound.
2. Thirty minutes before the end of cooking, remove ham from the oven.
3. Make 1/4 inch deep slits across the top of ham, both ways, forming diamond shapes. Place pineapple rings over ham placing a cherry in the center of each ring.
4. Mix brown sugar and pineapple juice and spoon over the ham. Return it to the oven.
5. Bake 15 minutes, then redrizzle glaze over ham. Bake 15 minutes more, then redrizzle just as removing from oven.
6. Pour coffee in the pan. This deglazes the pan and makes a delicious gravy.

By Robin from Washington, IA