Easter

HAM

1 bone-in half ham, 7-10#

Whole cloves  – enough to stud ham all around top about an inch apart

Aluminum foil – enough to tent ham in a large roasting pan and form a tight seal

GLAZE

3/4 cup 100% pineapple juice (Knudsen’s is my preferred brand)

3/4 cup 100% orange juice

1 large apple, peeled and diced (Use Johnagold if available…highest amount of pectin)

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1. In a small saucepan combine the juices and apple and bring to a boil.  Boil until apple pieces soften and the juices start to thicken.  Continue until the juice is reduced to about 3/4 cup and is slighty syrupy.  Remove from heat, strain the apples out and discard them  and set glaze aside.  Reheat the glaze if necessary when it comes time to glaze ham.

If you are going to soak the ham, DON”T UNWRAP IT! Place  Porky in a large container and cover with hot tap water and let it sit for 45 minutes.  Drain the water and repeat for another 45 minutes.  While the ham is soaking make your glaze.

2. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees and set the oven rack on the lowest setting.

3. Unwrap the ham and place in a large roasting pan.  Stud the ham with the cloves (about an inch apart).  If you don’t have cloves or don’t want to use them, no worries.  This will not make or break your ham prowess!  Cover the ham with foil, making a little tent for it and seal the foil tightly against the sides of the roasting pan.

4. Bake the ham until an instant read thermometer registers 100 degrees when placed into ham’s center.  This cooking time calculates to about 10 minutes per pound.  If you did not soak the ham in how water, then you have to increase your cooking time to 18-20 minutes per pound.

5. Remove the ham from the oven,remove the foil and turn the oven temperature up to 350 degrees.  Brush half of the glaze onto the surface of the ham,  like you are painting it. Return the ham to the oven for 10 minutes.

6. Remove ham from oven and brush with more  of the g glaze.  Let the ham sit for about 15 minutes before slicing.  If there is any glaze left over, mix it with the ham juices to serve with sliced ham.

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Paleo Holiday Yams

5 large yams, peeled and cut into 2 inch rounds

2 small apples, peeled and cut into large chunks

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ cup 100% pure maple syrup

4 tablespoons organic grassfed butter

1 cup chopped pecans

Cook the yams in a pressure cooker for 6-8 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, move the cooked yams to a large mixing bowl.  To the yams, add the apples, butter, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup and mix well.  Spread the yam mixture evenly into a 11×7 glass baking dish.  Top with pecans and bake uncovered at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

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Holidays were a big thing in my family growing up. My amazing mom outdid herself on every holiday–big or small. I definitely followed in her footsteps and tend to go nuts for all special events. Here are a few fun ways to ring in Easter and Spring while sparing the kids from a couple of the Easter basket treat induced sugar roller coaster rides!

Great for an after school or post egg hunt snack! I used apples, strawberries, blueberries, cheese cut in circles, carrots, cucumber, and mini almonds but feel free to get creative with what you have on hand! You can even pre-cut everything and have your kids put together their own bunny!

Nut and dairy free version using apples, grapes, carrots, dried apricots, and cucumber!

Found these cuties in Family Fun magazine. My kids LOVED creating them today. Pair with the fruit bunny above and you’ve got a full breakfast or serve alone as a post egg hunt snack! I used hard-boiled eggs, red pepper, dried papaya, carrots, broccoli, and peppercorns.