chardonnay honey glazed ham

 

when it comes to holiday meals i actually prefer ham over turkey. justin does too as he surprisngly doesn't like the taste of turkey at all. my mom serves three meats every christmas to please guests: prime rib, turkey & ham. maybe it is the italian in her who loves to make way too much food, but that is a lot of meat. i gravitate towards her sweet honey spiral ham, it is like eating candied meat! i am always caught sneaking back in the fridge for whatever scraps are left over before bed. last year i made a maple dijon glazed ham & this year i will be making this honey chardonnay glazed ham. i used cambria wine's benchbreak chardonnay in the glaze to add an unexpected kick of flavour. it is one of the best white wines for both drinking & cooking with. it lends so much flavour with fruit and oak spice aromas. seriously add this to your holiday meal menu this year & you won't be needing that turkey!

ingredients

  • 8 lbs cooked ham butt end
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup low sodium chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup cambria wine's benchbreak chardonnay
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup raw honey
  • 1 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely choped
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 2 shallots minced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3-4 cups chicken stock

directions

  • place ham skin side up in a large roasting pan. using a sharp knife, score ham in a criss cross pattern. Set aside while you prepare the glaze.
  • in a saucepan over medium heat melt the butter & garlic. add the shallots, salt & pepper. cook until the shallots begin to turn translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
  • whisk in the chicken stock, chardonnay, brown sugar, honey, dijon, thyme and nutmeg. heat until the sugar has fully dissolved.
  • pour the remaining chicken stock in the base of the roasting pan.
  • carefully spoon 1/3 of the glaze over the ham skin.
  • roast the ham at 325 degrees for two hours, basting every 25 minutes. alternate between basting with the glaze & the chicken stock.
  • thinly slice and serve with a side of pan drippings.

matcha pumpkin pie overnight oats

 

ok, i am sure we have all eaten way too much chocolate & treats the last week thanks to halloween! plus, now with halloween being over we are entering the holiday season in FULL FORCE, or at least i am. so i wanted to figure out a healthier way for all of us to get our pumpkin spice & pumpkin pie fix. cue: matcha pumpkin pie overnight oats. they are the perfect grab & go breakfast to whip up before bed. just toss a few ingredients together, portion it into glass weck or mason jars & boom, breakfast is ready. for the best matcha flavour, i used aiya matcha's cooking grade blend. this blend is perfect when mixed with other ingredients as it does not lose its intense matcha flavour. now, who else is decorating their house for christmas this week? too soon for me to hang stockings? pft, never.

ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 tablespoon aiya cooking matcha powder
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 1 1/2 cups whole oats
  • pecans, for topping
  • coconut whipped cream, for topping

directions*

  • in a large mixing bowl whisk together the almond milk, pumpkin puree, matcha powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger & nutmeg until well blended.
  • stir in the chia seeds & oats until combined.
  • place into desired glass jar & cover with lid. let rest in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
  • top with coconut whipped cream & pecans before eating!

witches brew

 

i just love the name "witches brew". it is so festive & is the perfect name for a halloween punch! witches brew usually consist of a mixture of liquor and fruit juice, but if you want to make it kid friendly just leave out the rum. it is simple to make if you are hosting a party or need something to bring to a friends halloween party. i kept this brew on the healthy side of things to offset all the chocolate that will be coming our way in the next week. i stuck to a mixture of 100% pure juices & added a touch of sweetness with zevia's zero calorie cream soda. it is made with stevia, a natural sweetener & adds an unexpected punch of cream soda flavour to the mix. to make this that much more halloween-ish, i served it in a black bottom glass & garnished it with a fresh sprig of rosemary. if you want to serve it in a punch bowl at a party that works too! one idea would be to add little edible eye balls and spiders to the mix.

p.s. HAPPY HALLOWEEN! we are going to the pumpkin patch, carving pumpkins & watching scary movies all weekend long. i LOVE this time of year!

p.p.s. don't forget to whip up some festive cupcakes too. find my mummy chocolate cupcakes here, monster pumpkin matcha cupcakes here & my orange + black twisted cupcakes here.

xo

ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups spiced rum (optional)
  • 2 cups 100% orange juice
  • 2 cups 100% pineapple juice
  • 2 cups 100% cranberry juice (not cocktail)
  • 1 1/2 cups zevia's cream soda
  • rosemary, to garnish

directions

  • in a large pitcher add the rum, orange juice, pineapple juice, cranberry juice and cream soda. stir until well combined.
  • serve over ice and garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary!

this post was created in partnership with zevia!