Traditional Christmas Dinner

In our house, Christmas Dinner always meant a smokey, salty ham. Dad would slow-cook that giant ham all day. Back then, hams weren’t pre-sliced or scored or made all trimmed and pretty. Dad baked up a nice, smoked picnic ham. It would feed everyone, and the bone (with a little meat still attached) makes for the best ever pot of ham and beans for New Year’s Day. While I don’t bake up a giant ham, I do select one that is spiral-cut and with the bone.

Dinner included mashed potatoes, red-eye gravy and fancy peas. Hubby loves my Au Grain potatoes, so we forgo the mashed potatoes and gravy, opting instead for creamy cheesy potatoes. The peas are still fancy, made with a cream sauce. And no dinner would be complete without warm rolls, even if they are the brown and serve kind.

You’ll notice that the potatoes and the ham bake at different temperatures. If you do not have duel ovens, the ham can be baked in an electric roasting oven. If neither of these options are available, you can cook the ham at the higher temperature needed for the potatoes. Keep an eye on the ham so that it does not dry out.

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Christmas Ham
1 Turkey Size Oven Bag
1 Tablespoon Flour
12-16 lb Spiral Cut Bone-in Ham
1 Tablespoon Liquid Smoke

Heat oven to 325-degrees and position rack to the lower level.

Shake flour in roasting bag, place bag in roasting pan at least 2 inches deep. Trim skin and fat from ham, leaving a thin layer of fat. Lightly score surface of ham in a diamond pattern; insert cloves.

Place ham in oven bag. Close oven bag with nylon tie; cut six 1/2-inch slits in top of bag to vent. Insert meat thermometer through slit in bag into thickest part of ham, not touching bone. Tuck ends of bag in pan. Place in oven to bake.

After 1 hour, check juices in the bottom of the bag. Using baster, remove some of the juices. Mix with liquid smoke and return juices to bag using baster.

Bake additional 1 1/2 to 2 1/4 hours or until meat thermometer reads 140-degrees.

Let stand in roasting bag 15 minutes. Remove from bag, carve and serve.

Note: If baking the ham with the potatoes, time the potatoes to be ready for the increased temperature while the ham is resting.

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Au Gratin Potatoes
6 Medium Russet Potatoes (about 2 lbs) peeled and thinly sliced
¼ Cup Butter
1 Medium White onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
1 Tablespoon Flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
2 Cups Milk
2 Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded (½ cup reserved)
½ Cup Fine Dry Bread Crumbs
1 Teaspoon Paprika

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Position rack in the center of the oven.

Peel potatoes and slice into thin disks using a food processor or vegetable slicer. Cut enough potatoes to measure 4 cups. Place sliced potatoes into cold water until ready to use, then drain.

Heat butter in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook onions in hot butter until soft, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until bubblie; remove from heat.

Stir in milk and 1 ½ cups of shredded cheese. Return to heat and cook until boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute.

Drain potatoes in a colanders and shake to remove excess water. Spread potatoes in an ungreased 1 ½-quart casserole dish. Pour cheese sauce over potatoes. Bake, uncovered, 1 hour.

Increase oven to 375-degrees. Mix remaining cheese, bread crumbs and paprika (just enough for a nice color). Sprinkle bread crumb mixture over top of potatoes and bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until top is brown and bubbly.

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Peas in a Cream Sauce
3 Cups Fresh Peas, shelled from 3-6 lbs Pea Pods or frozen peas, thawed
2 Tablespoons Sugar
½ Cup Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons unsalted Butter
Salt and Pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. SLOWLY add peas to maintain slow boil. Cook until tender, about 8-12 minutes depending on size of peas.

In a saucepan, heat heavy cream to a boil. Cook until reduced by half, about 3-5 minutes.

Add peas ¼ teaspoon pepper and butter. Cook until butter has melted and peas are heated through, 3-4 minutes, stirring gently to blend. Transfer to serving bowl and serve at once.

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Brown and Serve Dinner Rolls
1 Package Brown & Serve Dinner Rolls
4 Tablespoons Butter, melted

Place dinner rolls on baking sheet. Brush tops with melted butter. Heat oven to 375. Place rolls in the oven to warm, about 10-15 minutes.