Easter is Almost Here!

Can you believe that Easter is right around the corner? It really feels like just the other day we were watching the ball drop and now we are about to celebrate Easter. It has me starting to think about what foods I would like to serve to our extended family on Easter. It is always a given that we will have ham, which is part of the reason I am super excited to be a Hormel blogger! We love Hormel hams and anytime I can get a discount on one, I’m excited!

Hormel® Cure 81® ham is celebrating their 50th Anniversary!  With guaranteed freshness the Hormel® Cure 81® brand has always been a favorite on dinner tables all across America. Since today is the first day of Spring (even though we still have snow melting in our yard) we thought it might be nice to post a few tips on handling ham for Easter and also a few Spring Meals you can enjoy.

-When purchasing ham for a large crowd, such as Easter dinner, count the number of guests scheduled to attend. It’s a good idea to get about a pound of ham for every 3-4 people. Don’t forget to estimate a little extra for unexpected guests.

– Heat & Serve Hams are typically sold as a fully cooked product, so when preparing, all you need to do is heat it until the ham is hot throughout.  A good gauge is when the ham reaches about 140-145 degrees. It’s a simple protein solution when you are pressed for time.

-A Ham for Every Occasion: In recent years, various cuts and flavors of ham have been introduced, making it a great option for entertaining or a weeknight family dinner.  Hormel® Cure 81® ham items are available pre-diced or pre-cubed for an easy addition to your morning omelet, or in ham steaks that are great to throw on the grill.

If your family is one who gathers together in a large group to celebrate a more traditional sit- down Easter dinner here are a few fun recipes to keep everyone satisfied.

Raisin-Apricot Glazed Ham

Ingredients:

• 1 (18-ounce) jar apricot preserves
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 ounce slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 Cure 81® Boneless Ham

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 325ºF.
2. To make glaze, in small bowl, combine preserves, raisins, almonds and lemon juice; mix well.
3. Place ham on rack in shallow roasting pan. Bake about 2 hours (allow 15 minutes per pound) or until internal temperature reaches 140°F. Spoon glaze over ham once or twice during last 30 minutes of baking time. Slice to serve.

 

Cornbread Muffins with Ham

Ingredients:

• 2 (8-ounce) packages cornbread mix
• 4 slices Hormel® Cure 81® Sliced Ham, finely diced

Directions:

1.) Prepare cornbread mix according to package directions, adding ham to batter. Divide batter evenly among 6 to 8 paper-lined muffin cups, filling two-thirds full.

2.) Bake muffins according to package directions until lightly browned.

 

Enjoy!

How do you celebrate Easter?

Are there recipes that you make every spring?