I’ve always tried to make sure that I don’t waste food. I also try to make sure that I’m feeding my carnivores a wide variety of meats (it’s easy to serve ground beef for every meal – so versatile!) However, I’m still learning how to prepare different meat, so when my husband came home from one of this rare trips to the grocery store with a half pre cooked honey smoked ham, I was a bit nervous. “How do you cook a ham?” I asked, eyeing the big hunk of meat. My husband replied that is was easy, infact, it was already cooked, so all I had to do was heat it up. My husband was really excited about the ham, “you can eat it warm or cold, it is good both ways.” That sounded easy, I was thinking we should buy ham more often. I usually get the pre-sliced versions from the deli counter, but is only really good for a sandwhich. I went on line to see what else we could do with the ham, and found no shortage of ways to eat ham: ham steaks, shaved ham, fried ham, ham casserole, how could I go wrong with all these options? I was determined to make sure that we could ‘repurpose’ the ham to make it last a few meals (really I was trying to avoid the inevitable throwing away perfectly good food thing that happens when only two out of three people eat meat!!)
Ham meal #1 – Ham steaks. I poured apple juice over the ham (as indicated on the package) and heated up the ham, then sliced it for dinner. My son took one look at the light pink texture of the meat and looked concerned. Just try it – you love ham, we encouraged him. One bite later, and he reconfirmed his initial feeling about the ham. “It’s warm, ham should be cold, and it is too thick, it should be thin”.
Ham meal #2 – Cold ham slices. Not one to be discouraged easily, I served up cold, thinkly sliced pieces of ham for lunch the next day. “This ham again!? I don’t like this kind, it tastes different than the other kind, and the colour is funny “(Ok, I kinda had to agree with him there).
Ham meal #3 – One more kick at the ham-can came at dinner the following evening in the form of a beautifuly prepared ham and brocoli casserole, swimming in a rich cheese sauce. Andrew took one look and asked what the funny squares were. When I explained what they were, he whined and complained again. “I don’t like this ham…it doesn’t taste good”.
My husband, usually the pickier eater of the two seemed to enjoy the ham meals (although he was the one to bring the ham into our lives). But Andrew was defiant. Exasperated, I finally asked him, “whats wrong with the ham?” He calmly looked at me, “mom, I like ham, just next time please buy it from the regular butcher.”
Ok, I guess that makes sense?
I look forward to more posts on this blog… I am a vegetarian cooking for a meat loving hubby (and eventually, kids too). 🙂
~ Kristi
Aww. what a cute story!
Thanks so much for your kind words.. have lots more to tell! Take care
Thanks – my son is so adorable isn’t he?