Welcome to Foodie Friday, dear reader. I know I said I would share cookie recipes with you this month; however, after planning my Christmas Day dinner, I could not resist sharing a lovely addition to any ham dinner. Before being introduced to this recipe, I always considered a ham dinner to be kind of "meh." Ham was okay, but it was not my favorite. I enjoy a good ham; however, in my fifty years of life, I have eaten my fair share of grisly hams at holiday dinners.
I prefer spiral-cut hams. However, finding a small butcher who offers this cut is difficult. It will be The Bibbed Wonder, The Bean, GramBarb, and me at Christmas dinner this year. We have a small ham from one of The Bibbed Wonder's pasture-raised piggies, and I decided this would suffice for our Christmas dinner needs. On Christmas day, I refuse to spend the day in the kitchen toiling over a big fancy meal. We enjoy our Christmas feast on Christmas Eve. After dinner, we play games; everyone opens one gift, dons our Christmas pajamas, and waits for the big guy to arrive.
On Christmas day, I make homemade mac and cheese in the crockpot, bake a small ham with pineapple sauce as an accompaniment, create a simple green bean side dish, and enjoy Christmas cookies for dessert. We spend the day in our pajamas, reading, watching movies, playing games, and napping. It's low-key and enjoyable. We take the time to enjoy each other's company and relax. This is a small and welcome break from the daily grind.
The pineapple sauce side dish was shared by my sister many years ago when times were better, and our family was intact. My sister is a fantastic cook and unafraid to try new recipes. The results are often delicious, and many of her recipes have become part of the fabric of my holiday meals. Although relationships evolve or sadly dissolve, food is one connection we never lose.
Today, I will share Sam's Pineapple Sauce, a sweet and tangy accompaniment to ham. Honestly, I can eat this alone with a spoon; it is that good. Eric and Jordan do not like pineapple, but GramBarb and I enjoy this dish, so I make it every time I bake a ham. It's sweet, tangy, refreshing, and delicious. I hope you enjoy it.
Sam's Pineapple Sauce
Ingredients:
1 can crushed pineapple: well-drained
2 tsp. vanilla (I like Sweet Home Vanilla's small batch vanilla extract)
2 eggs; well beaten
1 cup sugar
¼ cup water
2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in water
4 tbls. butter cut into small pieces and set aside
2 tbls. cinnamon
Directions:
Mix all ingredients except for the butter and cinnamon in a large bowl.
Pour into a well-greased casserole dish.
Top the pineapple mixture with the butter pieces.
Sprinkle the top with cinnamon. I eyeball it, but it's about two tablespoons.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Serve warm.
This sweet, tangy side dish makes even a "meh" ham taste delicious. I hope you and your family enjoy it. Stay safe smart, enjoy good food and good memories on this beautiful sunny day, and keep washing your hands.