A Tasty Trip Home

     I finally made it back to Chickasha, OK for a visit with my family, and it was just the vacation I needed.  As is typical of my visits home, I did a lot of eating.  Between the old favorites I crave from my mom's kitchen, my favorites from her cafe, getting my fix of BBQ and burgers from the local joints, cooking new dishes with my mom, and gathering with family and friends over meals, I had quite a lot to check off my list in 6 days.  I think I won the challenge.
     My first night home we had a tasty stuffed pork loin, and most importantly, what I always request, garlic green beans.  It's a silly thing to love so much, but I don't care.  And it's clearly not seasonal in January, still don't care.  Whole canned green beans, cooked in butter, garlic, and brown sugar...lots of it...as in swimming. If ya wanna get fancy, you can make them into little green bean bundles wrapped in a piece of bacon; we usually save that effort for the holidays.  I've been teased for my excitement over these beans, but they make me truly happy.
     The next night was dinner out with my parents' best friends and their kids.  Rich lamb ragu, spicy pasta, braised short ribs, risotto, pizza, and wine were all shared over a dinner full of laughs with the Haney family.  To really top it off, we stopped for frozen yogurt at Orange Tree.  This place has more yogurt and topping options than any other frozen yogurt store I've seen.  I was giddy.
     I had my much beloved chocolate chip bread pudding with warm caramel sauce at the cafe.  Oh man...that stuff deserves its own story.
     Then there was Roy's BBQ night:  chopped beef sandwich and waffle fries.  I love good barbecue, and this is number one for me.
     My mom and I made tender and juicy braciola one evening.  A rolled steak filled with herbs, seasoning, prosciutto, and provolone; we braised it in a tomato sauce and served it all over spaghetti.
     I was able to join my mother's side of the family for their new tradition of Souper Sundays they've begun this year. A simple supper of a soup, bread or side, and dessert is an easy way to gather for a couple hours every week.  We tried a version of Argentine locro.  Spicy and thick vegetable and sausage stew, topped with cilantro, cotija cheese, and crunchy roasted squash seeds.
     And perhaps my big winner for the week- homemade brioche doughnuts from a Cuisine at Home book.  It was a beautiful brioche dough I spent several hours with on Saturday and then chilled overnight.  On Sunday morning I rolled it out, cut my shapes, and fried 'em up.  I covered most with a pomegranate glaze, and treated a few to a cinnamon sugar coating or a chocolate butterscotch glaze.  Well, brioche already makes my heart pitter patter, and what's not delicious fried?  Golden brown and crispy, warm, buttery and soft inside... I preferred to eat mine plain.  Too easy to pop the little doughnut holes in my mouth as I stood there frying.  I also satisfied my craving for a hot and fresh doughnut.  I'm a firm believer that doughnuts are a waste of time if they're not hot, and these were just as good re-warmed the next day.  My dad said they were the best doughnuts he'd ever had, and I think I must agree.

    

Holiday Ham

     This Christmas marked a milestone in my life:  I cooked my first holiday ham for just my boyfriend and me.  I was quite pleased with the entire experience.
     I ordered my ham from Gartner's Meat Market here in Portland.  I'd never made the drive out to 74th and NE Killingsworth, and what an adventure it was. I got there a bit before they opened at 10:00 a.m. on the Sunday before Christmas, and thank goodness.  There was a line outside the locked doors as if people were headed into a rock concert.  The parking lot was even equipped with a traffic controller.  These people are serious about their meat.  I  had ordered a fresh ham because I intended to use my own brine and smoke it.  Unfortunately, there was a mix up on their papers and I received a partially smoked ham.  The employee that helped me was kind enough to call later when he realized the mistake. Great customer service, but I didn't have the time to head back across town and trade.  No worries, I just switched gears and decided to cook my ham with my mother's delicious glaze.  I'm glad I did.
    I needed that old familiar comfort of her ham.  Smelling the brown sugar and mustard glaze bubbling on the fat, sneaking all the crispy sweet edge pieces for myself, and that first juicy bite of deliciously moist ham. What a fantastic thing to pull out of the oven as it glistens and steams, practically begging to be eaten.  We sat down to a Christmas night dinner of ham, homemade apple chutney, roasted brussel sprouts, and his own potato cake-like creation (which I'm actually craving this very moment).  My Christmas season finally stopped feeling like I was missing out on my family traditions; I was creating my own with someone I love.  
    And then, what I was perhaps looking forward to most: a leftover ham extravaganza.  Oh ham, for days and days... and then more ham.  Ham in omelets, salads, soups and a slew of ham sandwiches.  Pressed into a panini with hot mustard, cheese, and spicy pickles.  On jalapeno cheddar bagels or blue cornmeal bread.  Or pressed with chutney and hot sauce.  The options are endless.  I finally got around to cooking a big pot of white beans with the ham bone and extra shredded meat.  Butter, garlic, onion- so simple, but I can't seem to put the spoon down.
     I feel like I need to thank the pig that provided us with such a bounty of food.  An 8-pound ham was food for two for weeks.  The cooking technique or glaze I use may change each year, but a tradition of a holiday ham is one I plan to keep.