By Karen Giebel
Easter is right around the corner and I thought I’d share two of my favorite holiday recipes. Both are very easy and can be made several days in advance and kept in the refrigerator. My orange spiced ham glaze is something I put together many years ago and it’s the only glaze I use for ham. Since I really love baked ham, I can assure you that this glaze coats it beautifully and really adds a tasty flavor to your ham.
The second recipe has a wonderful personal history to it. Aunt Ruthie was married to my mom’s brother. She hosted our family for dinner every Christmas and Easter from the time I was born until they moved to Florida in 1980. The holiday menu never varied and her recipe for Raisin Sauce to be served with those baked hams was something I craved every holiday. Still do…I can’t eat ham without an ample ladle of that lemony flavored sauce chock full of plump raisins on the side. How good is it? I have been loving that sauce for over 65 years! Where did Aunt Ruthie get that recipe? Most likely at one of the endless potluck dinners at The First Baptist Church in Dunkirk, New York. I can still see in my mind’s eye, all those wonderful ladies sitting around chatting and sharing their best recipes after yet again, another delicious dinner.
Karen’s Orange Spiced Glaze
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
Stir all ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Liberally brush over the ham every 20 minutes during the last hour of baking the ham. Remove from oven and give it a good final glaze. Cover and let the ham rest for 20 minutes before carving. I always put canned pineapple rings on my ham secured with toothpicks and brush the glaze over the pineapple too.
Aunt Ruthie’s Raisin Sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 cups water
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 cup dark raisins
In a medium saucepan combine the brown sugar and cornstarch. Stir in the water, raisins, lemon zest, lemon juice and the vinegar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Lower heat to a simmer and cook one more minute. Remove from heat, cool and refrigerate. Reheat to serve. Makes 2 cups.
Happy Easter everyone!
Karen Castleberry Giebel blogs about life and food at thejourneygirl.com up in the back of the byond in Ferry County, Washington.
