Root beer-basted ham perfect to feed hungry band members
Mary Bilyeu | Contributor
I didn't serve ham for Easter, since my Easter plans went rather awry. So I baked the ham a few days later for Jeremy, his buddy Mitch, and their friend Anna who's now sharing lead vocals with Jeremy in their band.
Feeding the band is a long-cherished tradition here, and it had been ages since I'd had the privilege. Band members started focusing on school, schedules conflicted, kids moved up north ... they all grew up and life went on. Jeremy still hung out with his friends, but it was much quieter and less festive.
Most parents cringe at the noise of band practice; and I admit, it has been a few years since Jeremy and his buddies played here... either they got louder or I got older, preferably the former! But I'd still rather have them tinkering around with grunge pedals and screeching guitars here, at my place, even if I often wonder when the neighbors will start banging on the door.
I've missed having hungry kids to feed when they take a break from practice. I've missed having ready guinea pigs who happily devour whatever I prepare for them.
I've missed having kids hanging out in my basement, playing music and following their dreams.
Root Beer-Basted Ham
1 2.5-ounce honey cured ham, boneless, sliced
1/2 cup root beer
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon brown mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper sauce
juice of 1 small orange
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place ham into an 8x8-inch baking dish.
Place remaining ingredients into a small saucepan; bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Pour sauce over ham, cover dish with foil, and bake for 20 minutes.
Uncover, then baste ham with sauce; bake for 10 more minutes. Baste again, then bake for 10 more minutes.
Serves 8.
Mary Bilyeu writes about her adventures in the kitchen - making dinner, celebrating holidays, entering cooking contests ... whatever strikes her fancy. She is also on a mission to find great deals for her Frugal Floozie Friday posts, seeking fabulous food at restaurants on the limited budget of only $5 per person. Feel free to email her with questions or comments or suggestions: yentamary@gmail.com.
You should also visit Mary's blog — Food Floozie — on which she enthuses and effuses over all things food-related. The phrase "You Should Only Be Happy" (written in Hebrew on the stone pictured in this post) comes from Deuteronomy 16:15 and is a wish for all her readers - when you come to visit here, may you always be happy.
Comments
Mary Bilyeu
Wed, Apr 18, 2012 : 1:28 a.m.
Peregrine - I'm picking up on a pattern, too, with regard to your comments. Let me note that while you've focused upon 3 posts out of 376, you've neglected to mention the recent asparagus and egg dish, the chickpeas with soy chorizo, the lentil salad with a hummus dressing, the handmade matzah, my promotion of causes such as SOS Community Services and Alpha House and Edible Avalon and Food Gatherers, and my weekly features encouraging people to eat at and support local establishments even if they're on limited budgets. I don't think it's such a crime to offer a root beer-glazed ham in the midst of all that ....
Peregrine
Wed, Apr 18, 2012 : 12:57 a.m.
Because everything tastes better after it's been soaking in high fructose corn syrup? Root beer, barbecue sauce (likely contains sugar, if not high fructose corn syrup), and honey cured. Not even a week ago there was Mary's recipe of chicken soaked in a concoction containing ginger ale and molasses and then sprinkled with brown sugar. And of course there's the now infamous PB&J sandwich that substituted glazed donuts for the bread. I think I'm picking up on a pattern....
seldon
Tue, Apr 17, 2012 : 4:59 p.m.
That looks pretty good...