Ham and Green Bean Soup

An excellent recipe for using leftover ham.  This is a classic soup recipe from my youth.  It conjures warm, cozy memories.  As far as I'm concerned this soup must be served with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich because that's the way we always ate it.  You don't have to but that makes it super special in my book.

Ham and Green Beans


3-4 Lb Bone-In Ham
1-2 Lb Green Beans, Trimmed
3 - 4 Pounds Small Potatoes
Salt And Pepper


In a large stock pot, cover the ham with water. Boil for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Add extra water to cover as needed.

Cut the potatoes in half or quarters.  I used a combination of new potatoes and Yukon gold.

Remove the ham from the pot.  Add the potatoes and green beans to the broth and cook for 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. 

Cut or shred the meat while the potatoes and beans cook.

Add the meat back to the pot and heat until warmed through. Add salt and pepper to the broth to taste.  

Let simmer until ready to serve.

Ham With Cola and Maple Glaze

This baked ham is made with a tasty glaze composed of Cola and Maple Syrup . . . making for a wonderful sweet combination . . . a wonderful dish for any meal and special enough for a holiday or special occasion.

And makes for excellent leftovers . . . like ham green bean and potato soup!

Ham With Cola and Maple Glaze

1 Fully Cooked Ham, About 6 To 8 Pounds
Whole Cloves, Optional
1/2 Cup Pure Maple Syrup
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Cola
1 Tablespoon Brown Or Dijon Mustard
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon


Place ham, fat side up, in a foil-line roasting pan (makes for easier clean-up).  

Score fat and stud with cloves. 






Cook at 325° for about 18 minutes per pound.  Meat should be 148° when done.

Combine maple syrup, brown sugar, cola, mustard, ginger, and cinnamon in saucepan; bring to a simmer and continue cooking over low heat for about 2 minutes. 

About 20 minutes before the ham is done, spoon about half of the glaze over top of ham, then about 10 minutes before done, spread remaining glaze over ham.

Remove from oven and let rest for 10 - 15 minutes.  Make sure to remove all of the cloves before serving.  I can tell you from personal experience that biting into a clove kind of ruins the ham eating experience.

Serves 8 to 10.

Firewater Friday - Blue Moon Ginger Beer

I'm pretty much a purist when it comes to drinking beer . . . i.e. I like to let the beer stand on it's own.  But this is a delicious, refreshing beer cocktail and one I would make again.

Blue Moon Ginger Beer
(makes two cocktails)

2 Ounces Ginger Liqueur
2 Ounces Vanilla Liqueur
1 (12-ounce) Can Club Soda, Chilled
1  Bottle Blue Moon, Chilled

Combine the liqueurs in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake to chill then mix with club soda, stir gently to combine.

Fill a chilled pint glass halfway with the club soda mixture. 

Combine half the club soda mixture with half the bottle of Blue Moon.  Stir gently.

Serve immediately.

Salted Maple Pecan Pie

This pie is fancy shmancy, rich and amazing.  The additional sea salt sprinkled on top give it a wonderful salty sweet aspect.  And as if all that wasn't good enough it's easy as pie to make . . . get it?  Pie?  

Salted Maple Pecan Pie

1 Pie Crust

1/2 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Pure Maple Syrup

1/4 Cup Butter

8 Oz Extra Firm Silken Tofu 

1/4 Cup Cold Milk

2 Tablespoons Cornstarch

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 Cups Pecan Halves

1 Teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Press pie crust into pie plate and set aside.

In a 2 quart sauce pan, mix together sugars and maple syrup. Heat over medium heat, stirring often with a whisk. Once small bubbles start rapidly forming, keep stirring for about 10 minutes. The mixture should become thick and syrupy. If the mixture starts climbing the walls of the pan in big bubbles then lower the heat a little.

Add the butter, and stir to melt. Turn the heat off, transfer mixture to a mixing bowl. 

In the meantime, prepare the rest of the filling.  Make sure to work quickly so that the caramel doesn't completely set.


Crumble the tofu into a blender or food processor, along with the milk, cornstarch and salt. Puree until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender to make sure you get everything.

With the caramel still warm in the mixing bowl, add in the tofu mixture and the vanilla, and mix well. Fold in the pecans to incorporate.

Transfer to the prepared pie crust.  Cover edge of pie crust with foil to prevent over browning.  

Bake pie for 40 minutes. Don't worry if the pie is jiggly, it will set.

Let cool for a few hours, then sprinkle the top with 1 teaspoon of coarse sea salt.

Slice and serve!

Maple Chocolate Chip Cookies

Maple Chocolate Chip Cookies


2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Powdered Non-Dairy Coffee Creamer 
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
3/4 Cup Melted Butter 
1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
1 Cup Light Brown Sugar, Packed 
1/3 Cup White Sugar
1 Large Egg
1 Large Egg Yolk
1 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts Or 1/2 Cup Pecans


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease baking sheets or line with parchment paper (I prefer parchment paper).

In a bowl mix together the flour with powdered coffee creamer, baking soda and salt.



In a mixing bowl beat the melted butter with maple extract and both sugars until blended.

Add in the whole egg and yolk; continue beating for 3 minutes.  The mixture will look like thick caramel.

Add in the flour mixture and beat until just blended.

Mix in chocolate chips and nuts.

Place in the dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the baking sheet about 2" apart.

Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes then transfer to wire racks.

Firewater Friday - Basil Cucumber Margarita

This cocktail combines and interesting mixture of ingredients to make a unique and refreshing beverage.

Basil Cucumber Margarita

2 Ounces Tequila
1.5 Limes
1 Ounce Clear Agave Nectar
Fresh Basil
3 Slices Cucumber

Muddle the basil and cucumbers in the agave nectar.

Add the tequila, lime juice, and rocks.

Shake very well, and pour over the rocks, no salt.

Add a dash of white or black pepper on top.

Garnish with a cucumber slice.