So me, the Jew, made Easter dinner (with lots of help from Jess) and I think it turned out GREAT!!! My cousin Angie and her husband John came over after they prayed to their Easter G-ds at church and Beau "Sidekick" Baum graced us with his presensce after rolling out of bed. We dined on a tasty glazed ham, rosemary potatoes, and steamed green beans, wined with a tasty Merlot (who knew the Naval Academy could make wine?) and were made fat and happy by a tasty three layer choclate cake Angie made with some freshly pressed Starbucks Breakfast Blend!
Glazed Ham with Apricot Mustard Sauce (5/5 points, the crusty burnt part was the best!)Prep: 15 minutes Total: 2 hours 15 minutes
The meat counter at your market is likely to carry a few different kinds of ham. Choose half a smoked bone-in ham labeled "fully cooked." In this recipe a country-style ham would be too dry and salty.
Ingredients
7 Pounds (about half of a bone-in) cured
smoked ham (butt end), room temperature
2 Cups
apricot jam 1/4 Cup
mustard powder Butter for aluminum foil Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Line a large roasting pan with aluminum foil; place roasting rack in pan.
With a sharp knife, trim fat, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick layer. Lightly score fat in a diamond pattern (do not cut into meat). Place ham, fat side up, on rack; roast 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine jam and mustard (they can be mixed and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead). Transfer 1/2 cup mixture to a small bowl to glaze ham. Set aside saucepan with remaining mixture.
After 1 hour, brush ham with glaze. Repeat every 15 minutes until brown and shiny, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part, avoiding bone, registers 130 degrees, about 1 hour more (if glaze starts to burn, tent ham with buttered foil). Discard unused glaze. Remove ham from oven; cover loosely with buttered foil to keep warm. Temperature will then rise another 5 to 10 degrees.
Bring jam mixture in saucepan to a boil. Carve ham, reserving bone and 2 cups of meat for
Split Pea Soup. Serve with sauce.
Rosemary Potatoes (5/5 points, so easy and looks so fancy)
Ingredients
Coarse salt and ground pepper 1 7/8 Pounds
red new potatoes 3/4 Teaspoon
dried rosemary 2 1/4 Teaspoons
olive oil Directions
In a 5-quart pot, bring 1/2 inch water to a boil; add salt and potatoes. Cover; cook, turning occasionally, until tender, about 14 to 16 minutes.
With a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to a bowl. (Reserve pot of water for
Steamed Green Beans.) Sprinkle potatoes with rosemary and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Break up potatoes with a fork or spoon, tossing to coat; cover to keep warm.
Steamed Green Beans (5/5 points, again super easy and delicous with the fixins Jessica added)
Ingredients
1 Pound
green beans Coarse salt and ground pepper some crumbled feta cheese
some italian salad dressingDirections
Trim green beans; add to reserved pot of boiling water from
Rosemary Potatoes; add more water if necessary (or bring 1/2 inch water to a boil). Cover; cook, turning occasionally, until tender, about 4 to 6 minutes.
Drain beans. Transfer to a serving platter; season with salt and pepper.
Split Pea Soup with Ham (5/5 points, this is outstanding! homemade croutons rock!) 
Prep: 30 minutes Total: 1 hour 10 minutes
Add crunch to your lunch. Homemade whole-wheat croutons are better for you -- and taste better, too.
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon
olive oil 1 chopped
medium onion 4
carrots thinly sliced
3
celery stalks, thinly sliced 
1
tablespoon dried thyme leaves Coarse salt and ground pepper 1
can (14.5 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth 1
bag (16 ounces) green split peas, picked over and rinsed Glazed Ham with Apricot Mustard Sauce
2 Tablespoons
butter 4
slices whole-wheat sandwich bread, crusts removed, cut into 1/4-inch cubes 1
to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Directions
In a Dutch oven or 5-quart heavy pot with a lid, heat oil over medium. Add onion, carrots, celery, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, 5 to 8 minutes.
Add broth, split peas, ham bone, and 5 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and partially cover; simmer until peas are soft, 30 to 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, make croutons: In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add bread and cook, tossing occasionally, until browned and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Remove and discard bone from soup. Working in batches, puree only 1/2 the soup in a blender (don't overfill); return to pot. Add ham cubes, and simmer until heated through. If necessary, thin with water. Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. Serve topped with croutons.
Yay! 2 presents in the same day! First, my spices! I have been wanting to find a good, inexpensive, fairly small sized spice company that I can order from and I think I found a great one. Penzey’s spices are delish and inexpensive and, most importantly for me, the come in small containers so I am more likely to replace my spices the recommended every 1-2yrs instead of keeping them so long that the store I bought them from has gone out of business at least 2 decades ago (yes mom, I’m talking to you). So I think I’ve found my source; very reasonable prices, quick shipping (even if you choose their “slow” method which is $1 less), nice containers, great selection, and of course super fresh and delish! Highly recommend you check them out at www.penzeys.com
