Hats Off To Ham Recipes

THE BEST BEAN AND HAM SOUP

Steps:

• Place the soaked beans into a large pot and fill with enough water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low for 30 minutes. Drain. Add the ham bone, ham, onion, celery, carrots, tomatoes, vegetable juice, and vegetable broth. Season with Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, chili powder, bay leaves, pepper, parsley and lemon juice. Pour in enough of the chicken broth to cover the ingredients.
• Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8 hours. Add more chicken broth as needed throughout the day. Remove the ham bone and season with salt if needed. Continue to simmer for a couple more hours. Remove bay leaves before serving.

HAMANTASCHEN-COOKIES (HAMAN'S HATS)

Steps:

• Hamantaschen are the traditional cookies of Purim, a festive holiday on the Jewish calendar.
• Grease cookie sheets.
• In large bowl, beat eggs slightly.
• Add sugar, orange peel and margarine; beat until mixture is light and fluffy.
• Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off.
• Add flour; mix well.
• Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 1/2 hours for easier handling.
• Heat oven to 350°F.
• On lightly floured surface, roll out 1/4 of dough at a time to 1/4-inch thickness.
• Keep remaining dough refrigerated.
• Cut with floured 3-inch round cookie cutter.
• Place 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheets.
• Spoon heaping teaspoonful poppy seed filling on center of each circle. Moisten edges of dough circles with water.
• Shape into triangles as shown in diagram, folding 3 sides in without completely covering filling; pinch corners to seal.
• Bake at 350° for 8-12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.
• Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.

HAT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Bake and cool cake as directed on box--except use one 8-inch round pan and one 9-inch round pan. For easier handling, refrigerate or freeze cake 30 to 60 minutes or until firm.
• Cut 6-inch circle out of waxed paper; place on 8-inch layer. Cut cake around circle with small knife to make 6-inch round layer; place on 9-inch layer, attaching pieces with small amount of frosting. Frost with a thin layer of frosting. Refrigerate or freeze 30 to 60 minutes to set frosting.
• Frost cake. Trim hat with ribbon and flowers. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

HAT'S OFF TO HAM

Steps:

• For the ham salad: Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
• Grill the pineapple slices so there are hatch marks on each side. Transfer the pineapple to a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the fridge to cool.
• In a food processor, pulse the ham until coarsely chopped and transfer to a medium bowl. Chop the green olives in the food processor until coarsely chopped. Transfer the olives to the ham and add the mayo, freeze-dried pineapple, ginger and lemon zest. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• For the spicy pickle cherry salad: In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onions. Saute until slightly translucent. Add the vinegar, salt, cayenne, pepper flakes and garlic and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and add the green beans, minced maraschino cherries and a pinch of black pepper. Let steep for 5 minutes, and then let cool.
• Fill a deep skillet 1/4-inch deep with oil and heat over medium heat to 350 degrees F. Fry the ham slices until they become slightly browned and starts to curl up at the edges, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
• Assemble the skewers with pieces of ham, dried pineapple rings and 3 whole cherries.
• Cut the grilled pineapple ring using the ring mold. Place the pineapple in the bottom of the mold and top with ham salad to fill halfway. Layer the spicy pickle cherry salad on the ham salad. Remove the mold and top with a skewer.

AMY'S HASH BROWNS CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Saute onion in 1/2 cup butter.
• Combine onion/butter mixture in a bowl with salt, pepper, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, Velveeta cheese, and hash browns; mix until combined.
• Pour mixture into a greased 9x13 pan.
• Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes to1 hour.
• Remove foil and stir well.
• Melt the 1/4 cup butter and combine with the cornflakes.
• Toss well, until coated.
• Spread on top of potato mixture.
• Bake, uncovered, for 15 more minutes, or until corn flake mixture is toasty.