I need recipe ideas...

[BlueStarLizzard]

Today Dad brought home some christmas loot from the bank ladies. Normally this loot consist of candy and cookies.
Today its an entire precooked spiral cut ham. 

While, I do love the gesture, I have to wonder if the women relize that a. He does not actually starve when they don't feed him, and b. If not for me, he would have stuck it in the fridge, munched on it till it started going off and given the rest to the mutts. Considering that we are both a bit paranoid about old food going bad, that means the dogs would have likely gotten over half of the good meat.

So, most of it is now in the freezer in baggies, with the exception of the bag for our neighbor and a tidy pile for munching and the bone, which are in the fridge.

Another guy he works with told him to save the bone and make soup. I was already think in that direction, but lacking an approprieate pot, I figured it would just go to the dogs.
But dad wants soup, and is willing to go buy the pot.

So I can make soup. 

Unfortunatly, while I understand the principles involved, the process of turning a bone in a pot of water into tasty soup is not something I have done before.
My previous soup making involves swanson with stuff chucked in.

So, he wants beans and cabbage, and I don't do celerey. I'm pretty much open to any other seggestion. Please focus on spices and such, since that's my real weak point.

We both like salty and he loves spicey, which ham, I would consider pepper... ?

[Doggy Daddy]

Ya know, that ham is also really good if you sear a slice or two in a pan, then just put it on some bread with some mustard and have a plain ole spiral cut ham sammich.

I is drooling at the thought!

DD

[Doggy Daddy]

BTW, I can't really help you with boiling yer bone.

DD

[zxcvbob]

Cover the bone with water and throw in a few whole black peppercorns and a few bay leaves.  Simmer it all day.  Use the resulting broth and any bits of boiled meat to cook dried navy beans, with a small onion, a couple of carrots, and some celery chopped up in it.  Thyme is a good spice for it, and maybe a teensy bit of garlic.  It will need salt, but you never know how much until it's almost done because of the salt in the hambone.  Cook until the beans are soft.  It will thicken overnight in the fridge.

If it's too big for your pot, you can cut the bone up with a hacksaw.

[Bob F.]

Definitely bay leaves, and don't worry about spending $ for 'em. Keep the jar tightly closed in a cool cabinet (not over the stove!)& they'll keep quite a while, They make all the difference in most any soup or stew! Just one thing--don't eat 'em, tough on the GI tract.

I'd probably use at least a couple cloves of garlic, minced, more likely 4 or 5. I like pintos or October beans, even black beans, so whatever's handy.

Bob

[BlueStarLizzard]

Bay leaves, don't eat. Got it.
 

[Lee]

Please tell me that cornbread is on the menu.  It would be a sacrilege to serve ham, beans and cabbage without it.

[BlueStarLizzard]

Please tell me that cornbread is on the menu.  It would be a sacrilege to serve ham, beans and cabbage without it.

I don't have a working oven. So, unfortunatly, no.

[charby]

Too bad we don't live closer I'd make you hambone soup and cornbread in my dutch ovens. You'd just have to keep my stocked in beer while I slaved away.

The local grocery stores sells a bag of nine bean dried bean mix. This is my favorite to use with hambones or turkey carcasses. Just make sure to soak the beans over night in a pot of water and rince a few time before adding to the hambone stock.

[Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas]

Soup is evil. Give the bone to a worthy dog and drink/bathe in the water. Eat the ham with bacon. Win for all.

[BlueStarLizzard]

Too bad we don't live closer I'd make you hambone soup and cornbread in my dutch ovens. You'd just have to keep my stocked in beer while I slaved away.

The local grocery stores sells a bag of nine bean dried bean mix. This is my favorite to use with hambones or turkey carcasses. Just make sure to soak the beans over night in a pot of water and rince a few time before adding to the hambone stock.

Actually, I do want to try this on my own. Cooking is good. I'm limited by my kitchen and budget, so I figure soup is a good start.

Nine bean package. Actually, my mom used to make that kinda stuff. She got a kind that came with a seasoning packet...

[BlueStarLizzard]

Soup is evil. Give the bone to a worthy dog and drink/bathe in the water. Eat the ham with bacon. Win for all.

And you. Your not being helpful. Go away.

Well, maybe the bacon thing was helpful *thoughtful*

[charby]

Actually, I do want to try this on my own. Cooking is good. I'm limited by my kitchen and budget, so I figure soup is a good start.

Nine bean package. Actually, my mom used to make that kinda stuff. She got a kind that came with a seasoning packet...

yep that is it

[Jim147]

Salty and spicy?

Sweat some onions in some butter with some black pepper and some crushed red pepper and add that to the soup.

What's wrong with your oven? Maybe it's something I can walk you through to get it up and running. If not a grill makes a great oven once you figure out how to control the temp.

jim

[BlueStarLizzard]

Salty and spicy?

Sweat some onions in some butter with some black pepper and some crushed red pepper and add that to the soup.

What's wrong with your oven? Maybe it's something I can walk you through to get it up and running. If not a grill makes a great oven once you figure out how to control the temp.

jim

Long ago, de mice, da ate it.

Seriously, its old and rickity and doesn't hold heat in. dad uses it to dry out desecent packs, but that takes all night.

[Hutch]

You're on the right track with the bean soup mix.  Add a can of Rotel tomatoes with chili peppers, and it's good to go.  A bottle of Tabasco on the table, and that's fine eating.

[RoadKingLarry]

The ready mix cornbread packages we get for quick dinners has microwave directions on the package. Martha White or Shawnee Mills is the brand. For quicky cornbread it's OK but I've never tried the micro wave method.

While we do have some serious cooking knowledge here on APS don't forget you have at your fingertips the culinary knowledge of the ages via the interwebs.

[French G.]

Last pot of beans I made was an on the fly thing to have lunch for the week. Pinto beans, 2 chicken breasts chopped up, garlic, salt, some taco seasoning, can of rotel. Good spices already mentioned, just go easy on the salt. To many people, like me, salt and then taste immediately. That stuff sneaks up on you, better too light on salt than too heavy.

[seeker_two]

The ready mix cornbread packages we get for quick dinners has microwave directions on the package. Martha White or Shawnee Mills is the brand. For quicky cornbread it's OK but I've never tried the micro wave method.

Microwave cornbread is of the Devil....flee from it and get thee a combination toaster/convection oven and bake thy cornbread quickly and properly.....thus sayeth I......


http://homeappliances.files.wordpress.com/2006/10/1149276212685.jpg

....don't really know why I'm using KJV English today....must be all the Christmas carols......

[RoadKingLarry]

Like I said, I've never tried the microwave method. All my cornbread get baked in cast iron skillets. For bigger batches I use a skillet handed down from my grandmother, she got it from her mother. For smaller batches I bought a small Lodge brand that is the right size for one of the package mixes. Makes just a big enough cornbread for us to get 2 meals out of it.

[zxcvbob]

I have one of those Bigassâ„¢ tabletop electric roasters.  For cooking big roasts (turkey, whole ham, whole brisket) it works better than a real oven except the turkey doesn't brown on top.  I haven't tried baking bread or cakes or pies in it yet; I keep saying I'm going to try that in the summer so I don't have to heat up the house, then I forget. But it should work for stuff like cornbread.  The roasters are pretty cheap, about $40 and sometimes a lot less than that.

[Bubbles]

I have one of those Bigassâ„¢ tabletop electric roasters.  For cooking big roasts (turkey, whole ham, whole brisket) it works better than a real oven except the turkey doesn't brown on top.  I haven't tried baking bread or cakes or pies in it yet; I keep saying I'm going to try that in the summer so I don't have to heat up the house, then I forget. But it should work for stuff like cornbread.  The roasters are pretty cheap, about $40 and sometimes a lot less than that.

You read my mind!  This is exactly what I did with my roaster last summer as I didn't want the AC to fight with the oven to keep the house cool.

I have the one big enough to cook a 25# turkey and IIRC it was about $30.  It works great as an oven for bread and cornbread.  The only difference compared to my real oven is it tends to run a bit cooler, so if the recipe says to bake the cornbread at 400F then I would set the roaster temperature to 425F.  I've baked bread (the no-knead recipe), cornbread, and casseroles in it in addition to using it as a regular roaster.

My only suggestion is to make sure when removing whatever you baked, is to wear longer oven mits as it's all too easy to burn the back of your hand on the inside of the roaster - especially if your food is in a 9x13 baking dish.  I found out the hard way... 

[zxcvbob]

You read my mind!  This is exactly what I did with my roaster last summer as I didn't want the AC to fight with the oven to keep the house cool.

I have the one big enough to cook a 25# turkey and IIRC it was about $30.  It works great as an oven for bread and cornbread.  The only difference compared to my real oven is it tends to run a bit cooler, so if the recipe says to bake the cornbread at 400F then I would set the roaster temperature to 425F.  I've baked bread (the no-knead recipe), cornbread, and casseroles in it in addition to using it as a regular roaster.

My only suggestion is to make sure when removing whatever you baked, is to wear longer oven mits as it's all too easy to burn the back of your hand on the inside of the roaster - especially if your food is in a 9x13 baking dish.  I found out the hard way... 

Do you use the rack when you bake bread or casseroles, or do you put the pan directly on the roaster bottom?  (My roaster is a Nesco, and it has a lift-out roasting pan and a lift-out rack that goes inside that, but it's still pretty easy to burn yourself getting something out)  I'm not sure if it's even usable without the roasting pan -- it would sure be easier to use for baking bread without the pan, but I don't think the lid will fit.

[Bubbles]

I use the liner pan but not the rack.  The lid on mine wouldn't work either without the liner.  Plus, if something spills the liner is easier to clean.

[RevDisk]

No ham soup recipes unfortunately.  For hams, I usually inject via syringe pine apple or orange juice.  Coat in molasses and brown sugar.  Slow cook and brush with molasses/sugar as necessary. 

Here's my chicken noodle soup recipe though:

Ingredients:

Pasta (doesn't matter, use what you got or like)
veggie oil
Herbox low sodium bouillon cubes (the green label one)
McCormick Poultry seasoning
celery, onion, garlic
cornstarch
diced chicken

Cook the pasta and the chicken. I used a pan to cook up the chicken after dicing it. I'm picky on my meat. If I can't find excellent chicken, I buy the best I can and during cutting toss the portions I'm not partial to. Pasta is always simple. Boil water, toss in some salt and veggie oil (not much). Toss in pasta. I cook both the pasta and the chicken about half to three quarters the way done. Drain both. Toss the pasta and chicken in the pan and set aside.

Rinse out the pot. Add water, get it boiling. Slowly add the bouillon cubes while stirring. Once done, add in poultry seasoning, celery, onion and garlic while stirring. Be somewhat conservative. I used dried celery and powdered onion/garlic that I get from a nearby Farmer/Amish market. Cook all of that for 5-10 minutes. Stir for a bit. Grab a glass, add a bit of cold water and maybe half a cup of corn starch, stir until dissolved. Slowly add it to the broth. Cook for another 5 min. Slowly add in chicken and pasta. Turn the temperature down a bit and let it cook for another 5-10 minutes. Sample the broth. Add salt, pepper, and any other spices/herbs you desire at this point. NOT before. Too much salt early on and you're stuck with what you got.

Optionally, you can add any other veggies you want at this point. I prefer corn over carrots, but use your judgment. Voila, done.