Mom's Baked Ham

What is going on with the price of food?!!!!!  It's outrageous.  I was looking for a ham to bake for Easter when I went to the grocery store last week, and of course as soon as you walk in they had them all beautifully packaged and displayed, to catch your eye of course.  I started looking at all of them, their weight value and cost. I needed a big one, I was feeding 11 people and wanted leftovers too.  The first one I picked up was $50!  It was a bone in spiral sliced ham for Pete's sake not a pot of gold!  I put the ham back in the case, I wasn't paying that much for a piece of meat.  I was finishing up the rest of my shopping and low and behold look over there! another case of lower priced, no fancy packaging or display, of  bone in spiral sliced hams.  Ladies let's be smart, don't be sucked in by these set ups.  Do your homework, walk that store to save yourself some money, and with a little added ingredients you probably already have at home, you can make that $50 ham yourself.  I purchased 2 hams, that's right 2, for $30 and change!  I didn't get that fancy little packet of dried stuff that they give you in the ham wrapping, that you still have to cook and pour over the top, and I didn't get the shiny wrapping.  I made my ham with my mothers recipe, the way she always made ham for Easter and it was delicious!

What you need is:  1 can of crushed pineapple, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 can of ginger ale, 2 cups of orange juice.  Remove all packaging from the ham, pull apart the slices so all the good stuff gets in between, top with the pineapple, brown sugar, ginger ale and orange juice.  Push the slices back together, cover with foil, bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours.

 and BAM! Juicy, sweet and flavorful baked ham, just like mom used to make.

Sunday Baked Ziti

Everyday is a good day for pasta, and if it's fast to make, even better.  My whole family loves pasta.  We all grew up eating pasta in many shapes and with all kinds of sauces, and who doesn't like a homemade pasta sauce.  The flavors of Italy are it for me, they are so good.  I made this baked ziti for Sunday dinner, of course the guys in my house were all sitting in front of the TV watching football, so this dish was easy to eat.  Pass the bread, not the football, please!

Start with these ingredients.  Cook up the garlic, onion, and green pepper.

 Fry and mix the paste in.

 Add crushed tomatoes, seasonings and don't forget the cheese!

 Brown the meat and drain it, then add to the sauce.

 The ziti.

Sunday Baked Ziti with Meat Sauce

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 tsp crushed red pepper, if you like heat add more, if not omit it
1 - 6 oz. can of tomato paste

1 can San Marzano Crushed Tomatoes

2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1/4 cup parmigiano - reggiano cheese
1 lb. ground beef, chicken or turkey

1 box of Ziti

1 pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup grated locatelli cheese
1/2 cup grated asiago cheese

For the Sauce

In a large size saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil, then add the garlic, pepper, onion and crushed red pepper.  Cook until the they are tender, but be careful not to burn the garlic.  Add the tomato paste, frying and mixing it in.  Next, add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and the 1/4 cup of cheese.  Stir it all in and continue to cook over medium heat.  Meanwhile, in a medium size frying pan, on medium high heat, add the ground meat and cook until all the pink is gone, breaking it up as you are cooking. When it is done, drain it in a colander then add it to the sauce.  Cover the sauce with a lid and reduce heat to medium low.  Let cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours stirring occasionally. 

Assembling the Ziti

Fill a large pot 3/4 of the way full with water and add 2 teaspoons of salt.  Bring to a boil and add the box of ziti. Stir the pasta into the water so it does not stick together.  Continue to cook until al dente.  Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.  Put a layer of the meat sauce down in the bottom of the pan, then start sprinkling some of the cheeses.  When the ziti is done, drain and put back into the pot, add some of the sauce and mix together. Pour the ziti into the baking dish, put another layer of sauce on top and then the remaining cheeses.  Put the baking dish onto a baking sheet, just in case anything flows over, and bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 - 50 minutes.  Makes about 10 servings.  Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator.