National Eggs Benedict Day - April 16th

did you know???
April 16th is National Eggs Benedict Day
here's a recipe to help you celebrate... ENJOY!!

Classic Eggs Benedict

Ingredients:

Water 1/2 cup distilled vinegar, divided
12 large eggs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
12 slices Canadian bacon
6 plain English muffins, split
HOLLANDAISE SAUCE, recipe follows
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives or finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Directions:

Pour enough water into 2 large skillets to reach a depth of about 3 inches, and divide the vinegar between them. Bring both skillets to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Crack an egg into a cup and carefully slide it into the hot poaching liquid.

Quickly repeat with all the eggs. Poach the eggs, turning them occasionally with a spoon, until the whites are firm, or to the desired degree of doneness, about 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs and transfer to a kitchen towel. Lightly dab the eggs with the towel to remove any excess water.

While the eggs are poaching, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Canadian bacon and cook until heated through, about a minute on each side.
To serve, toast the English muffin halves and divide them among 6 warmed plates. Top each half with a slice of Canadian bacon, and set an egg on top. Spoon the hollandaise sauce over the eggs and garnish with the chives. Serve immediately.

Hollandaise Sauce

1 1/3 cup unsalted butter
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon strained freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground white pepper or a pinch of cayenne pepper

In a medium pan, completely melt the butter over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat and set it aside for 5 minutes. Skim and discard the white foam that rises to the surface of the butter. Carefully ladle or pour the clear golden butter into a container with a pouring spout. Take care not to add the milky solids and watery liquid at the bottom of the saucepan. Set the butter aside in a warm spot.

Pour enough water into a medium saucepan to reach a depth of about 2 inches. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the egg yolks and the cold water. Whisk until the yolks are light and frothy. Place the bowl over the saucepan of simmering water and whisk constantly and vigorously until the yolks are thickened and light, about 3 to 4 minutes. (If the eggs begin to scramble, or the mixture is cooking very quickly or gets too hot, remove the bowl from the heat and whisk to cool). Remove the eggs from the heat and whisk for 30 seconds to cool slightly.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and set the bowl over the hot water. Slowly drizzle the butter into the eggs while whisking constantly. Whisk in the lemon juice, salt, and pepper, to taste. (If the sauce is very thick, add a few drops of warm water to adjust the consistency so it is creamy and light.) Serve immediately or keep the hollandaise sauce in a small bowl set over warm, but not hot water, for about 30 minutes or in a warmed thermos for about an hour.

Yield: about 1 1/2 cups

... for photo and printer-friendly recipe go to: http://www.homebakedmemories.com/pf_pages/pfEggsBenedict.htm

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National Glazed Ham Day - April 15th

did you know???
April 15th is National Glazed Ham Day
here's a receipe to help you celebrate... ENJOY!!

...when we plan our Easter holiday menu, we always start with ham. It is so convenient today to find the pre-sliced spiral cut hams in the market. Make your Easter Dinner Glased Ham a tradition for your family meal ...

Glazed Spiral Cut Ham

1 fully-cooked shank half ham bone-in (pre-sliced is best)
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/8 tsp paprika
1 dash ground ginger
1 dash ground allspice

First you must slice your ham. Use a very sharp knife to cut the ham into very thin slices around the bone. Do not cut all the way down to the bone or the meat may not hold together properly as it is being glazed. You want the slices to be quite thin, but not so thin that they begin to fall apart or off the bone. You may wish to turn the ham onto its flat end and cut around it starting at the bottom. You can then spin the ham as you slice around and work your way up.
Mix the remaining ingredients together in a small bowl.

Lay down a couple sheets of wax paper onto a flat surface, such as your kitchen counter. Pour the sugar mixture onto the wax paper and spread it around evenly.

Pick up the ham and roll it over the sugar mixture so that it is well coated. Do not coat the flat end of the ham, just the outer surface which you have sliced through.

Turn the ham onto its flat end on a plate. Use a blow torch with a medium-size flame to caramelize the sugar. Wave the torch over the sugar with rapid movement, so that the sugar bubbles and browns, but does not burn. Spin the plate so that you can torch the entire surface of the ham. Repeat the coating and caramelizing process until the ham has been well-glazed (don't expect to use all of the sugar mixture). Serve the ham cold or re-heated, just like the real thing.
Look for a ham that's pre-sliced. Otherwise you'll have to slice it yourself with a sharp knife, then the glaze will be applied. To get the coating just right you must use a blowtorch. If you don't have one, you can find a small one in hardware stores for around 15 bucks.

* Yield: 1 ham

... for photo and printer-friendly recipe go to: http://www.homebakedmemories.com/pf_pages/pfGlazedSpiralHam.htm

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