Baked Ham, Mary Virginia’s Dressing, Corn Casserole and Mother’s Pecan Pie
Happy Thanksgiving!
“Whatever you do in word or deed,
do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”
– Colossians 3:17
Baked Ham
Put fresh ham (never been cooked or sliced) in a paper bag (go to the grocery store and get a clean one) and twist the end as tight as you can. Put the bag in a deep roasting pan. Bake at 300 degrees until you can smell it baking. (about 30 minutes). Then reduce heat to 250 degrees and bake for 30 minutes a pound.
Andy’s Note: I always bake half of a ham. I can-not say enough about this wonderful way to bake a ham. No pineapple, no brown sugar, no lemons, no oranges, no rosemary, no spices at all. How easy is this? The most difficult part is finding a brown paper bag. I can just see Vera Cooper slicing her baked ham in the kitchen at Eastside Presbyterian Church. Those were wonderful Thanksgiving memories.
Mary Virginia’s Dressing
4 cups cornbread, crumbled
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stick margarine
2 cups chicken broth
1 beaten egg
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Sprinkle dried parsley on top before baking
Saute onion in margarine. Then add all of the remaining ingredients together. Pour into a greased three-quart Pyrex dish. I usually make four recipes of this dressing and place into foil pans. Bake at 400 degrees until brown. Before you bake, sprinkle with dried parsley.
Andy’s Note: This dressing is so good and so easy. Mary Virginia makes this at least once a month. You can boil a couple of chicken breast and add them to the dressing. Save your broth for the dressing.
Corn Casserole
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup milk
2 cans Shoe Peg corn, drained
1 (14.75-oz.) can cream style corn
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Whisk the flour into melted/cooled butter in a mixing bowl. Whisk in sugar, eggs and milk. Stir the creamed corn and Shoe Peg corn into the buttered mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about one hour and 15 minutes until the center is set and the casserole is brown.
Andy’s Note: I baked this for my bunch this weekend and they loved it. It is sweet and I think it’s more like a corn pudding. Easy! Easy! Easy!
Mother’s Pecan Pies
6 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups light Karo syrup
1 stick margarine
2 cups chopped pecans
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 unbaked deep-dish pie crusts
Mix all ingredients together and bake at 325 degrees for one hour.
Andy’s Note: I have made this pecan recipe for years, and it is the “Best of the Best.” When I was baking for friends, I would always have a bunch of these in the freezer around the holidays. In fact, Doug is scouting around this morning trying to find some more pecans for me.
“Even when life may be difficult, we should thank God for all he does for us which we do not deserve.” – Billy Graham
Happy Thanksgiving Cooking,
Andy Bedwell
“Southern Cooking with Andy Bedwell” can be purchased at Alabama Gift Company in downtown Gadsden and at The Messenger on Rainbow Drive.