Saturday, April 16, 2011

Glazed Ham, Pineapple Casserole, and Creamy Asparagus

I had to add this one, although I've only tried the ham (at Publix - the Apron's Simple Meals) - but it was delicious, and the lady said the pineapple casserole was incredibly good!!!!  I know it seems a little unlikely, but so did the cheese/onion/strawberry preserves dip!  And this sounds perfect for Easter!

Pineapple Casserole
cooking spray
24 buttery-flavor crackers (Ritz), crushed
7 oz. white cheddar cheese, shredded
6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 20-oz cans pineapple chunks in juice, drained
(reserve juice for ham)
Preheat oven to 375F.  Coat 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Crush crackers (should make about 1-1/2 cups).  Shred cheese
(should be about 2 cups).  Combine flour, sugar, and cheese;  stir in pineapple until evenly coated.  Place mixture evenly in dish;  top with cracker crumbs.  Bake (at 375) 25-30 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Glazed Ham
1 half ham, fully cooked (6-8 pounds)
1/2 cup pineapple preserves
3 Tbsp pineapple juice (reserved from casserole)
Ham should be fully cooked and ready to serve.  Place ham on serving platter and let come to room temperature (whether it is still warm from being cooked, or cold from the fridge).   Combine preserves and juice;  microwave on high 1-2 minutes or until hot.  Slice ham and serve with sauce.  If you choose to heat the ham, follow package instructions.  To glaze ham, use up to 1/2 cup of pineapple preserves to coat ham before heating.

Creamy Asparagus
2 lbs fresh asparagus spears                                      1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1 Tbsp canola oil                                                       1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup European salad dressing                                   1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
Trim asparagus; remove tough root end.  Preheat large saute pan on med-high 2-3 minutes.  Place oil in pan, then add asparagus;  cook 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned.  Reduce heat to low;  add dressing, salt, and pepper.  Cook and stir 1-2 minutes more or until asparagus is tender.  Top with cheese and serve.