Easter

CHICKEN HAWAIIAN

This is one of my very own favorite dishes.

The toasted coconut adds a special flavor.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 to 3 lb. chicken breast tenders

1/3 cup flour

1 tsp. powdered ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup good olive oil

1 cup chopped green onion

1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms

14 1/2 oz. can sliced pineapple

1/2 cup papaya juice or apricot nectar

10 1/2 oz. can chicken consomme

1 tbs. soy sauce

2 3/4 oz. pkg. sliced almonds

Salt to taste

4 cups hot cooked rick

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup toasted, shredded coconut

Cooking Instructions

COMBINE flour, ginger, salt in paper bag. Shake chicken tenders in mixture. Brown in hot oil; set aside. Drain fat; return 1/4 cup to skillet and saute onions and mushrooms. Add browned chicken tenders, syrup from pineapple, papaya juice or apricot nectar, consomme, soy sauce; simmer, covered 1/2 hour. Salt to taste. Add pineapple, almonds; cook 15 min. or till chicken is tender.

SERVE WITH TOASTED COCONUT RICE:

Toss 4 cups hot cooked rice with 1/4 cup melted butter and 1 cup shredded coconut, which has been toasted on a cookie sheet under your broiler.

Ham Loaf with Golden Sauce

INGREDIENTS

1-1/4 pounds ground fully cooked ham

1-1/4 pounds ground pork

2-2/3 cups soft plain bread crumbs

1/4 cup and 3 tablespoons pineapple juice

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

SAUCE:

2-2/3 cups pineapple juice

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon brown sugar

2-3/4 teaspoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, combine first 10 ingredients. Pack into a 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1-1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, combine all sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened and translucent. Allow to stand for 5 minutes. Remove loaf from pan and serve sauce over it.

Honey Baked Ham

Note: To get the coating just right...

...you must use a blowtorch.

Ingredients

1 fully baked and smoked Shank Half Ham, with bone, spirally sliced

Honey or Pure Maple Syrup

Directions

(I always bake my ham for at least 2 hour or more on 350 degrees, depending on its size, although it is pre-cooked.)Spread honey or syrup all on the outside of the ham. Cook it the early morning of your serving day; cool.

With a large spoon, pour the juices all over the sides of the ham. Slice thinly with very sharp knife or an electric knife. Set aside.

Combine in a small bowl:

1 cup light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground clove

1/8 teaspoon paprika

Dash ground ginger

Dash ground allspice

Set aside.

On a large piece of parchment paper, roll the ham on all sides and top. Spread around evenly, and then coat with hand the left over mixture. Coat the HAM well and thickly. Do not coat the flat end of the HAM.

Turn the HAM onto its flat end on a heavy serving platter. With a medium-size flame, use a blowtorch 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 platter so that you can torch the entire surface of the HAM. Repeat the coating and caramelizing process until the HAM has been well-glazed.

Serve the ham cold or reheated.

Hearty Ham Loaves

Yield: Two Loaves

INGREDIENTS

1 cup crushed butter-flavored crackers

2/3 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground mustard

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 dash ground nutmeg

1 dash paprika

1 1/3 pounds finely ground fully cooked ham

1 pound bulk pork sausage

1/4 inch Sliced Swiss Cheese

GLAZE:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon ground mustard

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, combine the first 11 ingredients. In a food processor mix ham and sausage well, but do not over mix. Add ham and sausage to above mixture; mix well.

Shape into two loaves. With large knife slice each loaf through the middle and place sliced cheese on top of bottom half. Take top part of ham loaf and place over sliced cheese, then pinch sides together to hold cheese inside so it can't run or drip.

Place in ungreased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, combine glaze ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove loaves from the oven; drain. Baste with half of the glaze. Bake 30-40 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F-170 degrees F, basting occasionally.

Freezes well for up to 2 months.

Maraschino Cherry Gelatin Mold

"Cherry gelatin mold,

with Maraschino cherries, pineapple, and pecans.

But the surprise ingredient is Coca Cola."

Yield: 8 - 10 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

1 (6 ounce) package cherry flavored gelatin mix

1 (12 fluid ounce) can Coca-Cola carbonated beverage

4 ounces Less Fat Neufchatel Cream Cheese

1 (16.5 ounce) jar Maraschino cherries.

Drain and reserve juice. Set aside.

1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple. Drained.

1 cup chopped pecans

1 (16 ounce) tub low fat cottage cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Drain pineapple.

Drain the cherries and save juice.

Set aside.

In a saucepan combine the reserved cherry juice with the coke. Heat until boiling then stir in the gelatin. Mix until gelatin is dissolved.

Add cream cheese and mix well with an electric mixer.

Stir in the drained pineapple, drained cherries and chopped pecans. Mix well. Fold in the cottage cheese.

Pour mixture into a 9 x 9 square glass baking dish or a mold sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray.

Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.

Mandarin Orange Cheesecake

Ingredients

Cake

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

Cream Cheese Layer

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup boiling water

1 envelope Dream Whip

1/2 cup low-fat milk

3 8-ounce pkgs. cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon orange extract

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

5 drops yellow food coloring

1 drop red food coloring

Topping

2 15-ounce cans mandarin oranges (in light syrup)

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

Nut Crust

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts (2.25-ounce bag)

Icing

1/4 cup shortening

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

1/8 teaspoon vanilla

Ingredients

1. To make cake layer, combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a medium bowl. Add dry ingredients to the butter and mix well. Mix in milk, vanilla and 1 egg. Pour into a well-greased 9-inch springform pan (or line it with parchment paper). Slam pan down on the counter a few times to even out the batter. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until the cake is light brown on top.

2. For the cream cheese layer, combine gelatin with 3/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl. Add boiling water and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Set this aside.

3. Prepare Dream Whip by whipping together 1 envelope of Dream Whip and 1/2 cup milk with an electric mixer in another medium bowl. Whip it good until the topping makes stiff peaks.

4. In another bowl, whip the cream cheese with vanilla, orange extract, lemon juice and food coloring in a large bowl until smooth. Slowly add the gelatin mixture while beating.

5. Add half (about 1 cup) of the Dream Whip to the cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth.

6. Pour this mixture over the cake layer in the springform pan. Chill for 2 hours or until firm.

7. Pour all liquid except 1/2 cup from the cans of mandarin oranges wedges. Heat the 1/2 cup liquid in the microwave on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until hot. Dissolve 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin in the liquid. Combine liquid with orange wedges and pour over the top of the firmed-up cheesecake that's still in the springform pan. Chill the cake for at least 2 more hours.

8. For the crunchy nut crust, combine 1 tablespoon water with 2 tablespoons sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. When sugar is dissolved and liquid begins to boil, add the hazelnuts and stir until nuts are well-coated. Stir often until the water has cooked off, then continue to stir until the sugar begins to caramelize and turn light brown . Be careful not to burn the nuts. The nuts are done when they are light brown and glazed with candied sugar. Pour the nuts onto a plate and let them cool completely. When the candied nuts are cool, chop them up in a food processor until they are the consistency of crumbs.

9. Make the icing by combining shortening with powdered sugar, milk and vanilla.

10. When mandarin orange gelatin has firmed up on top of the cake, remove the cake from the springform pan. Use a spatula to spread the icing around the edge of the cake. Press the hazelnut crumbs onto the icing around the edge of the cake (you've got more than enough hazelnut crumbs and much of it will fall off as you press it on the sides). Chill the cake for at least another hour before serving. To serve, cut cake into 8 slices.

Makes 8 servings.