Pams Hams on WXYZ tv on Easter morn

If you have left-over ham and four minutes, check out the video below for simple instructions for making a ham strata (breakfast casserole.) One of the best things about this casserole is that you probably have every ingredient in your kitchen cupboard already. In addition to the ham, it's made with just white bread, eggs, cheddar cheese and a dash of mustard. You can also add some color by putting some left-over veggies in - we used asparagas.

(if you have trouble loading the below vid, you can also find it at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuxrmgTvBVI)

The recipe itself is also on our website at http://www.pams-hams.com/ham-strata-recipe.html

Homestyle Baked Pork Chops

In the list of entrees that are simple to prepare and taste like "mommy used to make", baked pork chops definitely tops the list. This is one of those recipes that everyone makes but you may have forgotten to put it into the rotation recently. Give it another try - my husband loves it.

Baked Pork Chop Ingredients
2 lbs. pork chops (give or take)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup coke
1 T. brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 t. spices - I use onion and garlic
1 t. margarine

Baked Pork Chop Instructions
Mix the ketchup, coke and brown sugar. Set aside. Mix the flour and spices in a plastic bag. Shake the pork chops in the bag. Brown the pork chops in the margarine and then place them in a baking pan with the coke, ketchup mixture. Bake 350 for about an hour. If time permits, I usually do 325 for 1 1/2 to 2 hours to be sure they remain tender.

Mom would be so proud!

Cooking Corned Beef Couldn't Be Simpler

With St. Patrick's Day right around the corner, you can find good corned beef at every grocery store and meat market. By now, many are even on sale making this not only an incredibly easy dinner but also a pretty economical one.

You know that I love to eat but don't like to cook complicated meals. My families favorite foods resemble those our mom's used to make. That is why making corned beef is right up my alley!

The most foolproof way to prepare corned beef is to put it in a crock pot on low for 8 - 10 hours. Cover with either beer or water and make sure to use the little spice packet that comes with the meat. DONE! It's that easy.

As far as serving it, we love it with cabbage, potatoes and carrots on the first night. I cook the corned beef overnight and then use the liquid (from the corned beef) to cook the veggies on low for 8 hours in the crock pot the next day. If you don't have time for that, I'd still recommend using the crock pot for the meat but you could cook the veggies on the stove top using the liquid. Wedges of cabbage should take about 15 minutes, small red skin potatoes or cut pieces of larger potatoes are closer to 30 minutes. Bring to boil and then reduce heat to medium/medium-low.

Equally tasty is corned beef sandwiches the next day. Use a good onion roll, some swiss cheese and thousand island dressing for the best flavor. Serving with cole slaw on the side or on the sandwich is messy but worth it. No thousand island on hand, just mix a little mayo with some relish and a dab of ketchup.

Yes, I'm Irish and so are my little red heads but no luck is needed for this festive St. Patrick's Day dinner.

Silly Tip of the Day - Cooking Squash

I am a big fan of squash - acorn, spaghetti, butternut - you name it. They are not only good for you (antioxidant, beta-carotene, vitamins A and C), but they are extremely easy to cook. You just need to allow yourself ample time and they will be perfect. Cook them even longer - still perfect. You've got to love that.

My biggest problem has always been cutting them in half. The winter variety squashes have a very hard shell so I was always fearful that I'd lob off a digit while trying to prepare them for the oven.

Here's the trick - cook them for about 20 minutes BEFORE you try to cut them. Put about a half inch of water in the bottom of the pan and cook at 350. You'll need a hot pad when you're cutting them but will find that the knife goes right through the partially cooked squash. Then you can remove the seeds, place the squash face down in the pan (with water) and cook the remainder of the way. I usually cook them another 30 -40 minutes at 350. We put a little butter/margarine and brown sugar inside and place them right-side-up for the last 10 minutes.

I mean seriously - if your mom doesn't tell you this stuff - how the heck do you figure it out? Seems like a silly thing to blog about but I'm excited to have squash in my weekly rotation again.

Tasty Hamburger in Sour Cream Sauce

I guess this is a simplified and kid friendly version of beef stroganoff. Serve over noodles or rice for a simple weekday dinner. My ten year old loved it except the mushrooms so I'll probably eliminate those for the next 8 years or so!

Kid Friendly Beef Stroganoff Ingredients:
1 lb. ground chuck
2 T. minced garlic
1 package dry gravy mix
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup milk
4 oz. sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
6 oz. mushrooms (or not in my case)
(rice or noodles)

Instructions:
Brown ground chuck with garlic until fully cooked. Mix all other ingredients, stir together and heat.

When a Glazed Ham Really Isn't

Since I sell a fabulous spiral ham with a crunchy sweet glaze on top, I find myself purchasing other products that have similar labeling. This past Christmas, my neighborhood gourmet grocer sold a glazed spiral ham in their refrigerated bin so I gave it a try.

It appears the USDA does not have any labeling rules on the word glazed because that ham had neither a visible glaze coating nor a separate glaze packet. This ham may be fine for some that plan on embellishing it themselves, but for those that thought they had a simple meal solution, they were inevitably disappointed.

A good rule of thumb might be that a ham with a crunchy glaze on it sold at a market or grocery store should probably be in a box. It would make sense that the crispy glaze would crack too much if it was thrown around in a bin with the other hams.

And don't even get me started on meat quality!

I Highly Recommend the Green Bags

Have you tried the green bags yet - the ones that are supposed to keep your fruit and vegetables fresh for longer? They really do work! According the the package, they work by absorbing and removing the ethylene gas that fruits, veggies (and fresh flowers) produce.

Mary convinced me to get them because she did her own experiment with bananas. She bought two bunches at the same time and placed one of the bunches in the green bag. It lasted 5 days longer than the other bunch bought on the same day. That was enough for me and I've been using them ever since. I haven't done any experiments but I do know that I've been using up my fruit instead of throwing it away.

Since the package I bought had 20 in it (10 large and 10 small), I passed a couple along to Lynda so now she can tell two friends...