Hormel Recipes

Remember the party I'll be hosting using Hormel products?  Well, I've worked up 2 recipes so far.  Both are simple and from what my testers tell me, both are delicious.

Both of these recipes are made by using Hormel's Cure 81' Ham.  When I bought this ham it had a price of just under $10.00.  Foodbuzz and Hormel had sent me coupons for $10.00 off so I ended up with my ham costing me $ -0-.  Thank you Foodbuzz and Hormel.  But, I have to tell you that the $10.00 price would have been worth every penny.  I'm actually coming up with 4 dishes using this one ham.  I've made 2 of my party recipes which will serve 10 people, I decided to make a pot of dried soup beans and still had 2 really thick slices left to serve with my beans.  That makes the cost of meat in each dish only $2.50 each.  In my book, that's a pretty good deal.

1st Recipe - BBQ Ham

This one was so simple and is really delicious.  I have a favorite BBQ sauce that is actually advertised as a Honey BBQ Wing sauce.  Its sweet with just enough heat to really make it great.  So, for my BBQ Ham I simply cut the ham into toothpick serving size cubes, placed them in a covered container, coated them slightly with BBQ sauce and refrigerated for a couple of hours.  Simple and wonderful! 

2nd Recipe - Ham & Mushroom Finger Sandwiches

2 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 can (5 oz.) evaporated milk
1 can (4 oz.) Shiitake mushrooms, sliced & drained
1 cup Hormel Cure 81' Ham, diced
1 cup shredded cheese
1 sheet Puff Pastry, thawed
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 cup shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut the puff pastry in half.  Place it on a sheet of waxed paper lightly sprinkled with flour.  Using a rolling pin, roll each piece of puff pastry until it's about twice it's size.  Set aside.  In a medium sized fry pan, melt butter.  Turning the heat to medium, add flour, stirring until smooth and bubbly.  Gradually whisk in cream.  Cook until creamy and starting to thicken (1-2 min.).  Add mushrooms, ham and cheese.  Spoon evenly down the center of both sheets of puff pastry.  Carefully fold one side of pastry over filling.  Bring the other side over the 1st side.  Carefully place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper, seam side down.  Bake 20 minutes or until pastry starts to brown slightly.  Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cheese.  Continue baking until cheese melts.  Slice into servings. Makes about 20.