Christmas Foods
3 min readBy Ashton Cox
December is a very giving holiday and nearly everyone likes food, so take home some of these recipes
Eggless Eggnog
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant French vanilla pudding
1 ½ quarts milk
2 ½ teaspoons rum flavored extract
½ teaspoon nutmeg
In a large bowl combine the pudding mix with 2 cups of milk, following package directions
Stir the rum flavor and nutmeg, while slowly mixing in the remaining 4 cups of milk until the mixture is of a drinkable consistency. Chill until ready to serve.
Christmas Crackers
1 sleeve (35 to 40) saltine crackers
16 tablespoons butter (preferably unsalted)
2 cups light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (not if using salted butter)
2 cups/10 ounces mini chocolate chips
Optional: decorative holiday sprinkles
Gather the ingredients and preheat oven to 350 F
Line a rimmed 9×13-inch sheet tray with foil, making sure it covers the sides of the pan, then lay a sheet of parchment paper over the foil.
Arrange the crackers in the pan layering the pan using broken bits to fill in the gaps. You want to make sure the pan is completely covered.
Combine the butter, sugar, and salt in a deep pot over medium heat. Cook until the butter is melted, sugar dissolved, and it comes to a boil.
Let it boil while stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the edges of the pot up to 3 to 4 minutes.
Pour the toffee over the crackers (be careful—it is hot). with an offset spatula, spread into an even layer to the edges of the pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until bubbly and deep golden.
Remove tray from the oven. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the toffee. Let sit for 1 to 2 minutes until they begin to melt. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate into a thin layer over the toffee.
Scatter sprinkles on top, if using
Let the chocolate sit at room temperature until it hardens, at least 2 hours, and preferably overnight. You can stick the chocolate in a fridge after 30 minutes if you are in a rush.
Break into pieces, and store in an airtight tin, in a cool spot, for up to 2 weeks
https://www.thespruceeats.com/
Maple Glazed Ham
10 lb. leg ham, bone in, skin on
30 Cloves (for decorative purposes)
2 oranges, cut into quarters
1 cup (250ml) water
3/4 cup (185ml) maple syrup (sub honey)
3/4 cup (165g) brown sugar, packed
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp All Spice (or nutmeg)
Take ham out of fridge 1-hour prior.
Preheat the oven to 320°F and arrange the shelfs in lower third so the ham will be sitting in the center of the oven
Place the Glaze ingredients in a bowl and mix until well mixed – use whisk if needed.
Remove ham skin
Run a knife around bone handle, down each side of the ham, and under the skin on the cut face.
Slide a finger under the skin on the cut face of the ham and run the finger back and forth to loosen while pulling the skin back. Use a knife if needed.
cut 2.5cm diamonds across the fat surface of the ham, about 75% of the way into the fat. Avoid cutting into the meat.
Insert clove in the intersection of each diamond on the surface.
Place the ham in a large baking dish. Prop the handle up on edge of the pan and the scrunched-up foil so the surface of the ham is level.
Squeeze the juice of 1 orange over the ham. place along with remaining oranges into the baking dish around the ham.
spoon half the glaze all over the surface and cut face of the ham
Pour the water in the baking dish, then place in the oven.
Bake for 1.5 – 2 hrs., basting generously every 30 minutes with glaze + juices in pan until sticky and golden.
Using foil patches protect the bits that brown faster than others press them on lightly
Allow to rest for at least 20 minutes before serving baste, as the glaze in the pan cools it thickens which means it “paints” the ham even better but be sure to save pan juices for drizzling.
Use pan juice as sauce. Drizzle as the glaze
Wrap handle with baking paper and ribbon if desired. Remove cloves.
I am sure some students will be happy with trying these recipes!
