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Friday, November 20, 2009

Home Fires Burning


I love that first smell of cold weather. It's a crispness that's hard to explain, it just smells cold! Last night when I let Ben out, I could smell the woodsy warm fragrance of someone's fireplace smoke. Familiar like an old friend's face, it transports me back to my childhood. Winters in Missouri were cold and snowy. We visited my Grandparents often, and when we'd get there we'd pile out of the car and hurry into the warm little rock house. Grandma would have supper ready and the fire would be crackling in the fireplace. It was a mix of smells that are ingrained in my memory...ham and baked sweet potatoes, green beans, homemade rolls and pumpkin pie. That farm and their hard work provided the meals that they would fall back on all winter. It's a comforting memory that I return to every winter!

GRANDMA'S SOUTHERN STYLE BAKED HAM WITH COLA
1 (20 oz.) can sliced pineapple
1 fully cooked smoked ham, whole or half ~Go to OzarkMountainSmokehouse.com
2-4 c. (depending on size of ham) cola beverage

Arrange pineapple on ham; secure with wood picks. Place ham in shallow pan. Pour cola over ham; bake 15 minutes per pound in preheated 350 degree oven, basting with pan juices occasionally. Remove to warm platter and let stand 20 minutes before carving. Serve with sweet potatoes and hot ham drippings. Makes approximately 30 servings with whole ham, 15 servings with half.
Print Recipe

7 comments:

  1. An aunt of mine used to bake her ham with Coca Cola (from Georgia, we all use the Real Thing!) and I loved them. Thanks for the reminder.

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  2. Wow, never heard this recipe before. That sounds good. Thanks for the link, too!
    And I love the smell of cold. Grew up in upstate NY where it was seriously cold. Miss that change of seasons here in CA. Enjoy!

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  3. That looks so cozy! It's cool and windy here today! Love your blog!

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  4. I love Dr. Oz too - thanks for the encouragement - and hope you are feeling better today.

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  5. This is such a wonderful time of year for sweet memories. The ham sounds delicious. Do you ever duplicate it?

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  6. Oh sweet friend, I have the same memories! Even here, tonight as we drove home through the small towns I could smell the wood stoves...great smell! Thanks for the recipe too :D

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