Tonight for dinner: Baked ham, candied yams, and kernel corn.

I put a 2lb ham in a small roasting pan with about a cup of water and covered.  I put it in the oven at 375*F for approximately an hour.  While this cooked I prepared the yams and glaze.  The corn was just frozen whole kernel corn that I boiled.

Candied Yams
3 large yams
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups small marshmellows

Peel the yams and cut into bite sized pieces.  Put into a pan of water and bring to a boil.  Boil the yams for approximately 10 minutes or until easily poked with a fork.  Drain.  Put the yams into a 9x13 baking pan.  Spread the brown sugar and marshmellows over the top of the yams.  Bake in 375*F oven for about a half an hour or until the marshmellows are nicely browned.

Cranberry Glaze

2 cups fresh cranberries

½ cup orange juice

¾ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp ground all spice

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ cup honey

½ cup packed brown sugar

Put first five ingredients into a deep fry pan and heat over medium temperature.  Bring to boil.  Use a potato masher to crush the berries. Reduce heat and simmer for three or four minutes.  Add honey and brown sugar.  Stir and simmer for another three minutes.  Pour over sliced ham and bake for 10 minutes at 375*F.

Oh my gosh!  This glaze would be fantastic on turkey!  So good!

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

This is my favorite recipe for totally from scratch cake. I found it in my Betty Crocker’s Cookbook (1970) page 181. I did alter the recipe a bit. My alterations are in red.
¼ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar (packed)
1 can (8½ oz) sliced pineapple, drained
7 maraschino cherries
6 pecan halves
Dinette Cake batter (see below)

Heat oven to 350*. Melt butter over low heat in round layer pan, 9x1½ inches. I just put the pan with the butter in the oven while it preheated. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Place pineapple slice in center of pan. Cut remaining slices in half; arrange halves cut sides out around pineapple ring in pan. I use pineapple tidbits instead of rings. Not as pretty, but much easier to cut and eat. Place cherries in pineapple slices; arrange pecans around center ring. I’ve never used the pecans, the cherries are also optional.
Prepare Dinette Cake batter. Pour evenly over fruit in pan.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Invert onto plate. Leave pan over cake a few minutes. Serve warm and, if desired with whipped cream.

Serves 9

Dinette Cake
This is a moist yellow cake. I’ve only ever used it in the pineapple upside-down cake. I found it in my Betty Crocker’s Cookbook (1970) pg 97. My alterations are in red.

1¼ cup flour
1 cup sugar
1½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk
1/3 cup shortening I use softened butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350*. Grease and flour square pan, 8x8x2 or 9x9x2 inches. Measure all ingredients into large mixer bowl. Blend ½ minute on low speed, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool.

Super Easy Quiche

This is a recipe I come back to all the time.  It is a family favorite and completely flexible according to what I have in the fridge.  It reheats well, and you can freeze it once it's been cooked.

Ingredients
3 eggs
1/2 C Bisquick Baking Mix
1 1/2 C milk
1/2 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together.  Using a blender works very well to mix and not end up with any lumps.  Pour this into a well greased loaf pan.  (If making a double batch a 9x13 baking dish is about right.)

Now the fun part!
You will need about 1 cup meat.  Any kind will do.  I've used chicken, sausage, burger, pepperoni, ham, and even bacon.  Or you can leave the meat out if you want.  I've only ever used cooked meat in this recipe.  I'm not sure how raw would turn out.  The cook time is long enough, I would think it would be fine. 

You will also need about 1 cup of vegetables.  Most kinds work well.  If they have a strong flavor (like broccoli) a little goes a long way.  The only thing I've found that we didn't like was brussel sprouts.....those got weird.

Now for the cheese!  You will use anywhere from 1 cup to 2 cups of cheese.  Any kind I have tried was fantastic.  I suppose you could leave the cheese out...but why?

Put your meat, vegetables, and cheese right into the liquid in the pan.  Tap everything down so the liquid covers it.

Bake at 350*F for about 45 minutes.  (Double batch takes considerably longer but I haven't timed it exactly.)  The quiche is done when a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Enjoy and Experiment!  I'd love to hear about any combinations you find that are really good.  I'd also love to hear if you find a particular ingredient that just didn't do so well.

Apple Crisp

Ingredients:
5 large apples
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves

1.      Cut, core, and peel the apples into bite sized chunks.  Place the chunks in a baking dish with fairly high sides.

2.      In a separate bowl, combine the oatmeal, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and cloves.  Stir to combine.

3.      Cut the butter into small chunks.  Stir these chunks into the oatmeal mixture.

4.      Pour the oatmeal mixture on top of the apples.

5.      Bake at 350*F for an hour.

6.      Serve with ice cream.

I also like to use 2 or 3 tart apples and a can of sliced peaches for this crisp.

One batch makes just enough for our family of six to have dessert.