Farmhouse Kitchen, April 2023
Welcome to spring, y’all! With sunshine and green grass at long last in view again, I’m bringing you springtime treats featuring pecans. These dishes are sure to play a starring role on your Easter table. While the foods are definitely photo-worthy, don’t let their appealing appearance fool you into thinking they’re difficult to make. Each recipe is easy enough for the most novice of cooks.
Glazed ham is almost synonymous with Sunday in the South. My Creole Pecan Glaze takes a plain old spiral-sliced smoked ham and makes it something worthy of being the centerpiece on your Sunday dinner table. The best part is how amazingly easy this is. After baking the ham, put the glaze ingredients in a saucepan, bring it to a boil, pour it over the ham, then return the ham to the oven for a few minutes. The result is a sweet and salty glazed ham that tastes even better than it looks.
Next, you just can’t beat a good dessert bar for portability and convenience when it comes to something sweet. This easy two-layer dessert bar combines jarred maraschino cherries, pecans and coconut atop a shortbread crust that will have your family requesting them again and again. The crunchy top layer and filling reminiscent of a pecan pie (y’all know the filling is the best part!) is nothing short of amazing.
Finally, it is my privilege to bring you a recipe from beloved Alabama Farmers Federation member Jeannie Hollinger of Wilcox County. She and husband Leo raise cattle in Camden. I don’t know about y’all, but finding grape salad on the table is always a treat for me — and Hollinger’s Grape Salad (originally shared in the April 2005 Neighbors) does not disappoint. After decades as a home economist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, she’s got a host of amazing recipes, and this is just one of them. The sweet and tangy dressing is perfect with the tart flavor of grapes and crunch of brown sugar.
Whether this month holds egg hunts, nature walks or relaxing time sitting outdoors, my hope is you enjoy every moment of this season where life springs anew in our beautiful state of Alabama.