I've cooked ham exactly once but can say everyone, including me, raved. This recipe is not from the internet, but rather from the world wide web: City Ham Recipe courtesy Alton Brown 1 city style (brined) ham, hock end 1/4 cup brown mustard 2 cups dark brown sugar 1-ounce bourbon (poured into a spritz bottle) 2 cups crushed ginger snap cookies Heat oven to 250 degrees F. Remove ham from bag, rinse and drain thoroughly. Place ham, cut side down, in a roasting pan. Using a small paring knife or clean utility knife set to the smallest blade setting, score the ham from bottom to top, spiraling clockwise as you cut. (If you're using a paring knife, be careful to only cut through the skin and first few layers of fat). Rotate the ham after each cut so that the scores are no more than 2-inches across. Once you've made it all the way around, move the knife to the other hand and repeat, spiraling counter clockwise. The aim is to create a diamond pattern all over the ham. (Don't worry too much about precision here.) Tent the ham with heavy duty foil, insert a thermometer, and cook for 3 to 4 hours or until the internal temperature at the deepest part of the meat registers 130 degrees F. Remove and use tongs to pull away the diamonds of skin and any sheets of fat that come off with them. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Dab dry with paper towels, then brush on a liberal coat of mustard, using either a basting brush or a clean paint brush (clean as in never-touched paint). Sprinkle on brown sugar, packing loosely as you go until the ham is coated. Spritz this layer lightly with bourbon, then loosely pack on as much of the crushed cookies as you can. Insert the thermometer (don't use the old hole) and return to the oven (uncovered). Cook until interior temperature reaches 140 degrees F, approximately 1 hour. Let the roast rest for 1/2 hour before carving. Here is a link that might be useful: food network link

I like the combination of ham and asparagus both in crepes and in an omelet with Swiss or brie cheese. When I get down toward the bone, I usually cut it into cubes and grind it in my mini chopper. Some ways to use ground ham: 1) Add ground ham and cheddar cheese to turn twice-baked potatoes from a side dish to a microwaveable main course. 2) Add to hollandaise sauce and pour over a whole steamed cauliflower. 3) Stuff halved zucchini or eggplant with ground ham, rice, chopped tomatoes, seasonings, sauteed chopped onions and the zucchini centers. Top with cheese and microwave or bake. 4) Ground ham can be mixed in when making scrambled or devilled eggs. 5) Substitute ground ham for sausage when making stuffed mushrooms 6) Sprinkle on cooked green beans 7) Mix with some cream cheese and finely chopped sweet red peppers and scallions. Stuff mixture into hollowed out cucumbers, chill and slice 8) Stuff large pasta shells with ground ham, spinach and ricotta cheese 9) Ground ham mixed with cream cheese, a bit of drained crushed pineapple and curry powder makes an interesting filling for tea sandwiches. 10) Saute ham, finely chopped onion and garlic in olive oil. Add drained and chopped cooked spinach. Mound on top of slightly scooped out halved tomatoes. Cover top of mixture with Parmesan cheese and bake. Baked eggs - Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put about a tablespoon of cooked sausage or ground up leftover ham in a custard cup. Break an egg over it and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add 1 teaspoon of milk or cream. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Serve with toast fingers. Can sprinkle grated cheese on top or add a bit of herbs.

Ignoring the outburst.....and back to hams... To me....as I know it....a "country ham" is one that has been dry aged and has to be soaked, scrubbed and boiled in 2 changes of water before being baked. Then there is a fully cooked ham which is ready to eat and only needs to be warmed to eat if you like it hot...if not then just cut 'er up and eat. Than there is something else.....it's not cooked and the package says it needs to be cooked at thus and so for thus and so number or hours, or until a thermometer in the thickest part registers 160 degrees. The last ham I bought like that (a Smithfield for a funeral lunch) was wonderful....even if a pain to prepare......and I know that they are "raw" because the one that someone else cooked was like raw meat inside....I had to bake it more. I have no idea how those raw, but not country hams are cured. And I LIKE brown sugar glazed ham and cranberry sauce on my turkey and applesauce with my pork and fruit stuffed pork loin and sweet and sour shrimp. I love asparagus with hollandaise and trice baked potatoes with sour cream and cheese. I like butter on my whole grain bread.....sometimes even JAM!!!!! Forget the honey glazed ham and add your own honey if you want it sweet. Linda C

Pea, with me it's sweaters. I have way too many sweaters. None of my heavy coats fit me anymore, so I just layer up with shirts, sweaters and hoodies. Thinking of heading over to Goodwill tomorrow to look for a nice, warm jacket. All my winter clothes are very old. corkball, I always tell people that in the summer, if I need a sauna, I just walk outside. I hate sweating, and question the theory that it's good for you. I'm so heat sensitive that I sweat walking to the mailbox. This weather is HEAVEN to me! Glenn, I think we al wish it was always like this, but if it was, how would we know to appreciate it?