Getting ready for Easter?

Easter is still a month away but I am just craving my traditional Easter dish - Ham. 

I can't wait! 

I prefer ham more than the other holidays' traditional turkey. In fact, in my family we always had ham at Christmas (with ravioli, of course) and Easter. Turkey was only for Thanksgiving.

Instead of baking a whole ham for a weeknight dinner though, I opted for ham slices. I simply pan fried them. What made them exquisite was the raisin sauce that I prepared.

I wanted something out of the ordinary - not just plain ham slices. I remembered seeing a recipe for raisin sauce in one of my favorite cookbooks. I refer to this book several times a year. It's an oldie but goodie.  My mother-in-law gave it to me years ago and I still use it! There are several recipes in there that I swear by ("Swiss steak" and "Gourmet porkchops", to name a couple). I also consult it for roasting or baking times/temperatures. 

1969, baby!

Look at the wooden salt and pepper shakers! Oh my Lord!

Let me show you the back cover of this book, just because:

Okay, what is that God-awful thing at the top? Are those hotdogs sticking out of that? What about those hamburger things at the bottom - are those cinnamon apples on top?

Needless to say, I don't use every recipe that's in this book! But there are some good ones, like I said!

Not only that, whenever I get some cut of meat that I don't know how to cook - it's in there! It explains the different cuts of meat and how to cook them. It is after all,  called "The MEAT  Cookbook"!

It even has a section on what I call "the gross stuff". You know, things that my father (or grandfather) probably liked - I just find them so gross like: "Chicken-fried Heart", "Scrambled Brains", - Oh! and here's one of my favorites - "Cheesy Tongue on Rice". 

Eeeewwww.

Anyhoo, back to the raisin sauce... if you can focus back on the good stuff, after that!)

• 1/2c Brown sugar

• 2T Cornstarch

• 1t Dry mustard

• 1T Vinegar

• 1c Raisins

• 1/4t Grated lemon peel

• 2T Lemon juice

* In a sauce pan, mix together: the brown sugar, cornstarch and dry mustard.

* Slowly add vinegar, the raisins, lemon peel, and lemon juice.

* Add 1 1/2 cup water.

* Stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly.

* Serve hot, pouring over your ham.

(Makes 2 1/2 cups)

We had leftover sauce so we got creative and used it the next morning in our oatmeal! Yum!

Moral of the story: Don't judge a book by its cover.

Really!