Back in the day when we were younger and flush with cash (ie: not thinking about the future) I would buy a Honeybaked Ham for Christmas to bring it to SM's big family get-together.
That sucker would be opened and eaten within the first few hours of arriving by the general horde that included liquored-up friends and family. About 30 people picking at that ham reduced it to the bone in no time flat.
The remains would be made into whatever soup Moose felt like making. "Yes" I have a brother in law named Moose and "Yes" Moose can cook.
Ah, those were the days. We were all young and wild. Now we're older and some of us have grandkids and extended families and we don't get together for Christmas anymore. We save those big reunions for Summer.
Anyhow, when it comes to our Christmas dinner these days I usually waffle between a nice beef tenderloin or a ham. I stalk the local grocery ads waiting for the price of a whole tenderloin to go on sale. Chop it up into three's and cook one of them.
I'm noticing though that beef is more expensive this year so when I got the Honeybaked Ham coupon in the mail I actually thought about buying one again as a treat.
"Don't you want to just get one at the store and glaze it yourself?" SM asked.
I shrugged. "Well, yeah. I can do that. I'm just not happy with the glazes I do so I thought that maybe a Honeybaked would be a nice change."
"You know it's going to be twice as much as a regular spiral?"
"Even with the coupon? I thought if it was only going to be $10 or $15 dollars more it might be nice for a change."
It's probably been ten years since we ate a Honeybaked Ham. Clearly I had Honeybaked Hams dancing in my head.
So SM got online and poked around. Holey Moley! A half Ham is quoted to run between $55 and $85! Geez...If I want to pay that I might as well buy the tenderloin!
Well, so much for that. I stalked the grocery store weekly sales and found a nice ham for $1.37 a lb. $13 for a half ham is way better in my book.
I've got some clover honey and brown sugar in the pantry just waiting to slick all over that bad boy.
So what are you having for Christmas dinner?
Wow, I had no idea ham was so expensive! I'm sure you'll make it scrumptious!
ReplyDeleteWe traditionally have lasagna for Christmas, but we have changed it up this year to baked spaghetti. Just not as in the holiday spirit after just losing my mom.
Hope you enjoy your tami-baked ham!
I've never tried Baked Spaghetti before and when I make lasagna it's usually once a year in the turkey pan. Peace be with you Daisy. I lost my Dad years ago just before Christmas. It was a quiet peaceful time for me too.
DeleteWow, that's expensive! I did the same thing that you did - buying the ham at the store - but you beat my price. I got $1.45/pound. I read an America's Test Kitchen article that said baking the ham in one of those roasting bags will keep it moist and take less time. I might try it. I love that I can portion up the leftover ham and freeze it without affecting the flavor. My ham bone is destined to be 16 bean soup at a later date. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteThey had a WHOLE ham at $1.37lb. Only $30 for the whole thing. Man, was I tempted but it's only the two of us and ham is lowest on my list of meats to eat. Strange that bacon tops the list @;)
DeletePea Soup is scheduled this weekend!!!
Honeybaked hams are awesome, but I refuse to take out a loan for a holiday meal. I'd much rather do my own, too.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about that crunchy glaze that's probably is so full of unknown additives I'm better off doing it myself.
DeleteI'd be more than happy with ham (love it!) but there are others at the table who wouldn't be as crazy about Mr. Pig's contribution to the meal as I. Our traditional Christmas Dinner is Nut Lumps, an unfortunate name given years ago to vegetarian (non-meat) balls in wine gravy . . . a recipe concocted back in the day when we weren't eating meat. They are delish (or maybe it's just the wine gravy) and any Christmas meal I cooked just wouldn't be right without them.
ReplyDeleteUmmmm....Nut Lumps? You know you have a very special post idea here. Not sure I want to try them myself but I must admit that I'm more than curious.
ReplyDeleteGood thing you can't see my Ick face as I type this...{{{shudder}}}}