Chef's Corner: Spending Easter away from home?
The Easter holiday, aside from being a three-day weekend, is often celebrated around the table with family and friends. But if you can't make it to Mom's home-cooked Easter meal this year, you can still have your own celebration with friends and cook an easy, delicious meal.
Honey-glazed Ham
5-pound ready-to-eat ham
1/4 cup whole cloves
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
2 cups honey
2/3 cup butter
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Score ham, and stud with the whole cloves. Place ham in foil lined pan.
In the top half of a double boiler, heat the corn syrup, honey and butter. Keep glaze warm while baking ham.
Brush glaze over ham, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Baste ham every 10 to 15 minutes with the honey glaze. During the last 4 to 5 minutes of baking, turn on broiler to caramelize the glaze. Remove from oven, and let sit a few minutes before serving.
Cheesy Garlic Scalloped Potatoes
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 pint heavy cream
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups shredded
Cheddar cheese
4 slices provolone cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 1 1/2 quart or larger casserole dish with butter or nonstick spray.
Layer half of the potato slices in the bottom of the casserole dish. Dot with half of the butter cut or pinched into small pieces. Arrange half of the garlic slices over the potatoes, then pour half of the heavy cream over. Sprinkle one cup of Cheddar cheese over the layer, and season with salt and pepper. Repeat layering of potatoes, garlic, cream and Cheddar cheese, then top with the slices of provolone cheese. Season again with salt and pepper.
Bake for 1/2 hour in the preheated oven, then sprinkle the Parmesan or Romano cheese over the top. This will create a semi-hard cheese crust. Continue baking uncovered for another 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender when tested with a fork.
Carrot Cake
3 cups grated carrots
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
3/4 cup chopped pecans
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, combine grated carrots, flour, white sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in eggs, oil, 1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, pineapple and 3/4 cup chopped pecans. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, Neufchatel cheese, 1/2 cup butter or margarine and 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla. Beat until smooth, then stir in 1 cup chopped pecans. Spread on cooled cake.
Marshmallow Easter Eggs
2 T. gelatin
1/2 C. cold water
2 C. sugar
3/4 C. hot water
1 C. white corn syrup
2 t. vanilla
cornstarch for hands
milk chocolate
Mix gelatin and cold water. Set aside until water is absorbed. Combine sugar, hot water, 1/2 cup of the corn syrup and cook to the soft ball stage (240°F). Cool a few minutes. Beat with mixer at full speed. Add the remaining corn syrup and all of the gelatin mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat 7 to 8 minutes after the last addition of the gelatin. Add vanilla. Pour into a well greased 7 x 9 inches pan and chill thoroughly.
Dust hands with cornstarch. Spoon marshmallow out of pan and form eggs. Brush excess cornstarch off and let dry for 1/2 hour on waxed paper. Pour melted milk chocolate over eggs and let set. Refrigerate for easier handling.
Honey-glazed Ham
5-pound ready-to-eat ham
1/4 cup whole cloves
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
2 cups honey
2/3 cup butter
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Score ham, and stud with the whole cloves. Place ham in foil lined pan.
In the top half of a double boiler, heat the corn syrup, honey and butter. Keep glaze warm while baking ham.
Brush glaze over ham, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Baste ham every 10 to 15 minutes with the honey glaze. During the last 4 to 5 minutes of baking, turn on broiler to caramelize the glaze. Remove from oven, and let sit a few minutes before serving.
Cheesy Garlic Scalloped Potatoes
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 pint heavy cream
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups shredded
Cheddar cheese
4 slices provolone cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 1 1/2 quart or larger casserole dish with butter or nonstick spray.
Layer half of the potato slices in the bottom of the casserole dish. Dot with half of the butter cut or pinched into small pieces. Arrange half of the garlic slices over the potatoes, then pour half of the heavy cream over. Sprinkle one cup of Cheddar cheese over the layer, and season with salt and pepper. Repeat layering of potatoes, garlic, cream and Cheddar cheese, then top with the slices of provolone cheese. Season again with salt and pepper.
Bake for 1/2 hour in the preheated oven, then sprinkle the Parmesan or Romano cheese over the top. This will create a semi-hard cheese crust. Continue baking uncovered for another 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender when tested with a fork.
Carrot Cake
3 cups grated carrots
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
3/4 cup chopped pecans
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, combine grated carrots, flour, white sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in eggs, oil, 1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, pineapple and 3/4 cup chopped pecans. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, Neufchatel cheese, 1/2 cup butter or margarine and 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla. Beat until smooth, then stir in 1 cup chopped pecans. Spread on cooled cake.
Marshmallow Easter Eggs
2 T. gelatin
1/2 C. cold water
2 C. sugar
3/4 C. hot water
1 C. white corn syrup
2 t. vanilla
cornstarch for hands
milk chocolate
Mix gelatin and cold water. Set aside until water is absorbed. Combine sugar, hot water, 1/2 cup of the corn syrup and cook to the soft ball stage (240°F). Cool a few minutes. Beat with mixer at full speed. Add the remaining corn syrup and all of the gelatin mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat 7 to 8 minutes after the last addition of the gelatin. Add vanilla. Pour into a well greased 7 x 9 inches pan and chill thoroughly.
Dust hands with cornstarch. Spoon marshmallow out of pan and form eggs. Brush excess cornstarch off and let dry for 1/2 hour on waxed paper. Pour melted milk chocolate over eggs and let set. Refrigerate for easier handling.
