Friday, December 16, 2011

Weekends eats: Feta Cheese Ball, Homestyle Meatloaf and Baked Ham

We only have nine days to go before Christmas, are you done with your Christmas menu? Give yourself a nice timeline so that on the day itself, you and your dishes look effortless. Make sure you do not cram on your grocery shopping. Shop for non-perishables weeks before the main event. The best way is to plan the Noche Buena menu with the family so that everyone's happy.


These recipes I'm going to share with you was again from my good friend Elaine Santos- Arevalo.  These recipes has been with their family for the longest time. Though busy taking care of the family, she still manages to prepare delicious dishes for the much awaited Noche Buena.

Feta Cheese Ball


Home-style Meatloaf



Baked Ham

ingredients:

2- 2 1/2 kilos whole pigue 
1 cup sliced onions
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
4 sprigs parsley 
6 whole cloves
3 whole black pepper
1 pint beer

glaze:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
whole cloves


Procedure:

1.  Preheat oven to 325F. Place ham fat side up, in a shallow roasting pan. Place onion and bay leaves on ham, sprinkle with sugar, parsley, cloves and pepper. Pour beer into pan around ham. Cover pan tightly with foil. Bake, basting every 30 minutes with beer in pan, using a baster, about 3 hours. 

2. Remove ham from oven; take off foil, baste.

3. Make glaze. When ham is done, remove it from roasting pan and pour off all fat and drippings. Reserve 2 tablespoons of drippings (not fat); combine with brown sugar and honey. Return ham to roasting pan.

4. Increase oven temperature to 400F. With a sharp knife , carefully remove any skin. To score: make diagonal cuts in fat (be careful not to cut into meat).

5. Stud each center of each diamond shape with a clove. To glaze ham: brush the surface with half of the honey glaze; return to oven and bake for 30 minutes longer, basting every 10 minutes with more glaze. 


A fusion of comfort food and elaborate delights, that's what the Arevalo's Noche Buena is all about. Indeed, happiness is homemade!






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