Easter Feast … Making my list and checking it twice …

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So, we are in the final countdown to Easter Sunday.  While I am not enthusiastic about the commercialization of Easter, I must confess that I do enthusiastically plan our Easter feast.  It’s typically our first homage to Spring.  Here in the Pacific Northwest Spring is definitely taking its sweet time in getting here!  I can’t remember a year where I’ve been so ready for Spring.  I suppose it’s partially because our temperatures and weather are just so unSpring-like.

Do you have a standard Easter feast you like to serve?  I know some folks love to do lamb for Easter while others are using it as an opportunity to serve up another Turkey supper.  I know a few that go for a nice beef brisket.  That’s all good and I’ve been known to occasionally dabble with lamb at Easter too.  But by and large, for me, Easter is all about the ham, baby.  I typically build our feast around that.  In a lot of years past, I would pony up $$ for a nice Honey-Baked Ham.  This year, though, I have another plan.  One I’m a little excited about.  I really liked the Whiskey-Sour Cherry ham I’ve done in the past but I’m in a mood to change it up this year!

So, with that spirit, I’ve decided to make a Bourbon-Maple Ham.  Yum!  I’ll put the recipe I plan to use below.  With the ham, we’ll be enjoying homemade Potato Salad, green bean casserole, baby asparagus with a balsamic glaze, and deviled eggs.  I think my favorite part of this feast is that most of it is made a day or 2 before.  I’ll be baking the ham and green bean casserole on Easter while preparing everything else in advance.  Sigh.  The closer Easter Sunday gets … the more excited I get!

Bourbon-Maple Ham

• 1 spiral sliced, bone-in ham
• 1 C brown sugar (I’ll be using brown sugar Splenda)
• 1 C pure Maple Syrup
• 1 C Gulden’s Brown Mustard
• 3/4 C bourbon

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 9×13 pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

If you aren’t using a spiral sliced ham, remove skin from ham and trim fat to a thin layer (about 1/4” is what we like).  In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, mustard, maple syrup, and bourbon.  Spoon evenly over the ham.

Bake for 2 hours basting the ham with the juices collecting in the pan every 20 to 25 minutes.  Remove ham from oven and let it sit for 20 minutes before serving.

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