It All Starts with Ham

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ham dishes

Kathryn once again prepares Easter Bread from an old family recipe from Poland. Kathryn also prepares various dishes from ham provided by Circle B Ranch Pork.

Bochenek Easter Bread
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Bochenek Easter Bread Recipe

From Chris & Mary August handed down from Chris’s Mother, Marianna Louska Bochenek. Permission to use. This recipe is so close to my Grandmother Stella Bochenek's Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 qt Milk
  • 1 lb Salted Butter
  • 5 lb All Purpose Flour
  • 12 Egg Yolks
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 1 heaping tsp salt
  • 2 tsp Vanilla depends on taste, add less or more
  • 1 1/2 cups Golden Raisins
  • 2 Packets Fast Rising Yeast
  • ¾ cup hot tap water about 104° to 110°

Instructions

  • (For yeast Preparation) in a small bowl pour two packets of yeast an add water stir and let sit

Directions

  • Pour flour in a large Baking Pan – I used an Extra Large Pan and then make a hole in the center and add prepared yeast and sprinkle with a little flour. In a another bowl add softened butter and use mixer and cream butter add sugar and beat until smooth then add salt and vanilla and gradually add milk. Mix thoroughly and add golden raisins and fold into the mixture.
  • Pour wet ingredients into the flour and start kneading until the dough comes off your fingers easily and the sides of the pan. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubles about 1 1/2hour. The take-off cloth and punch down thoroughly all over the risen dough in the pan. Then cover and let rise again until it doubles. Grease and flour pans.
  • Meantime Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, divide the dough equally into pans equally and then cover and let rise again until it doubles. Make and egg wash and then use a brush and brush wash on top of each individual bread. Place Pans in Oven I did three in the back of the shelf and two in the front. And midway through the baking time I moved the ones in the back to the front. I baked my bread for 45 to 50 minutes or until using a long wooden skewer comes out clean. Put bread on cooling racks for 10 minutes. Take out of pans and serve with butter or jam. Delicious!!!!
    Bochenek Easter Bread loaves
Ham Sliders
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HAM SLIDERS WITH PIMENTO CHEESE SPREAD

Ingredients

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 1 4 oz. jar pimento peppers, drained and chopped
  • ½ pound Circle B Ranch Hickory Smoked sliced ham
  • 4 Tbsp. cream cheese softened
  • 2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. coarse salt
  • 12 mini rolls
  • 4 Tbsp. butter melted

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Make the pimento cheese spread. In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, Cheddar, pimento peppers and cream cheese. Stir until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. In a 9×13-inch baking dish, lay down the bottom halves of the mini-rolls. Spread the pimento cheese spread on top of the bread and evenly lay ham slices on top of the pimento layer. Top with more pimento spread, then place the other halves of the rolls on top. Brush the bread with melted butter. Sprinkle with poppy seeds, garlic powder and salt. Cover with foil and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese begins to melt and rolls are golden. For a more toasted bun, uncover the pan during the last few minutes of baking.
ham Salad
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Best Ham Salad Recipe

With permission to use from Circle B Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 2 Pounds of Circle B Ranch Hickory Smoked Ham
  • 1 Cup Sweet Pickle Relish I used bread and butter pickles I had made
  • 1 Cup Mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbsp Celery Seeds
  • 1 ½ tsp Yellow Mustard
  • 1 tsp Refrigerated Horseradish
  • ½ tsp PT Garden Lemon Pepper
  • 1 French loaf to Make Crostini optional

Instructions

  • Cut the ham into cubes, place in a food processor and process until coarsely ground. Stop occasionally to scrape the sides. Place ground ham in a bowl, stir in pickle relish and remaining ingredients. Serve on crostini or crackers.
Split Pea Soup
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THE BEST SPLIT PEA SOUP RECIPE WITH HAM

Course: Soup

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 cups chopped onion
  • 1 cup diced carrot 1/4-inch dice
  • 1 cup diced celery 1/4-inch dice
  • 1 tsp kosher salt to taste
  • 1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper plus additional to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic* minced (*not in mine)
  • 1 pound dried split peas rinsed and sorted
  • 1 large bay leaf or 2 small
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 8 cups chicken stock Homemade is best
  • 1 cup leftover Circle B Ranch Hickory Smoked ham

Instructions

  • In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter until foaming subsides. Add onion, carrot, celery, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook until vegetables are softened and just beginning to brown, 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, until aromatic. Stir in split peas.
  • Add bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon oregano. Stir in chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 60-90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until split peas are cooked down and soup is thickened to desired consistency. (Stir more frequently as the soup begins to thicken and add a little additional stock or water if it gets too thick for your tastes.)
  • Add diced ham during the last 15 minutes of cooking. When ready to serve, remove and discard bay leaf. Season to taste with salt, if needed.

Baking loaves of Bread

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I’ve been wanting to make bread for you all. First I will make Polish Easter Bread from a long-standing family recipe that came originally from my Grandmother. Many thanks to my cousins for helping me with this recipe.

Next, I will be making Blueberry Bread, Cinnamon Bread, and Peach Bread using recipes from Mariana Backes of Circle B Ranch recipes.

Join me as I prepare a family Easter bread recipe from Marianna Louska Bochenek. I thank Chris & Mary August for sharing this recipe, which is very similar to my Grandmother’s recipe. I also prepare three different quick bread recipes from Marina’s Kitchen-Circle B Ranch.

Bochenek Easter Bread
Print Recipe

Bochenek Easter Bread Recipe

From Chris & Mary August handed down from Chris’s Mother, Marianna Louska Bochenek. Permission to use. This recipe is so close to my Grandmother Stella Bochenek's Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 qt Milk
  • 1 lb Salted Butter
  • 5 lb All Purpose Flour
  • 12 Egg Yolks
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 1 heaping tsp salt
  • 2 tsp Vanilla depends on taste, add less or more
  • 1 1/2 cups Golden Raisins
  • 2 Packets Fast Rising Yeast
  • ¾ cup hot tap water about 104° to 110°

Instructions

  • (For yeast Preparation) in a small bowl pour two packets of yeast an add water stir and let sit

Directions

  • Pour flour in a large Baking Pan – I used an Extra Large Pan and then make a hole in the center and add prepared yeast and sprinkle with a little flour. In a another bowl add softened butter and use mixer and cream butter add sugar and beat until smooth then add salt and vanilla and gradually add milk. Mix thoroughly and add golden raisins and fold into the mixture.
  • Pour wet ingredients into the flour and start kneading until the dough comes off your fingers easily and the sides of the pan. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubles about 1 1/2hour. The take-off cloth and punch down thoroughly all over the risen dough in the pan. Then cover and let rise again until it doubles. Grease and flour pans.
  • Meantime Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, divide the dough equally into pans equally and then cover and let rise again until it doubles. Make and egg wash and then use a brush and brush wash on top of each individual bread. Place Pans in Oven I did three in the back of the shelf and two in the front. And midway through the baking time I moved the ones in the back to the front. I baked my bread for 45 to 50 minutes or until using a long wooden skewer comes out clean. Put bread on cooling racks for 10 minutes. Take out of pans and serve with butter or jam. Delicious!!!!
    Bochenek Easter Bread loaves
Peach Bread
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Fresh Peach Cake

FROM MARINA’S KITCHEN-CIRCLE B RANCH PERMISSION TO USE THE RECIPE

Ingredients

  • 1/4 pound 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar divided
  • 2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 cup sour cream at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 large ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced (I Used Canned Peaches-see note)
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1 cup of the sugar for 3 to 5 minutes on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, then the sour cream and vanilla, and mix until the batter is smooth.
  • In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix just until combined. Do NOT overmix.
  • In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon.
  • Spread half of the batter evenly in the pan. Top with half of the peaches, then sprinkle with two-thirds of the sugar mixture.
  • Spread the remaining batter on top, arrange the remaining peaches on top, and sprinkle with the remaining sugar mixture and the pecans.
  • Bake the cake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

If using canned peaches, drain very well and sprinkle them with about 2 Tbsp additional flour. 
Cinnamon Roll and Blueberry breads-web
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BLUEBERRY OATMEAL BREAD

FROM MARINA’S KITCHEN-CIRCLE B RANCH PERMISSION TO USE THE RECIPE

Ingredients

  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 2 cups flour plus 1 tablespoon
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup 1 stick butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup oats

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line your 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or lightly butter your loaf pan. In a small bowl, toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour to keep blueberries from sinking.
  • In a large bowl, whisk 2 cups flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, mix yogurt, eggs, melted butter and vanilla together and then fold into the dry ingredients. Add the blueberries and oats and gently combine.
  • When done, scrape the mixture to loaf pan and it will be thick and a little sticky. Bake for 50-55 minutes when golden brown and when a toothpick inserted into the bread comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes then cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Cinnamon Roll and Blueberry breads-web
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CINNAMON ROLL BREAD

FROM MARINA’S KITCHEN-CIRCLE B RANCH PERMISSION TO USE THE RECIPE

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg room temperature, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup milk I used 1%
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream

SWIRL

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a bread pan by spraying it with non-stick cooking spray or lightly greasing it with butter. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
  • In a small bowl combine egg, milk, vanilla extract and yogurt or sour cream.
  • Add the dry ingredients into the wet and stir to combine. You can use a large wooden spoon for this if you wish, no mixer is required.
  • In a small bowl combine swirl ingredients together – 1/3 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 2 tablespoons water. Use a tablespoon to drop spoonful’s of this mixture over the bread, then use a knife to make swirl designs to incorporate the cinnamon mixture into the bread.
  • Bake for 45-50 minutes or until you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean. Remove the bread from the oven and transfer it to a cooling rack to cool for 15 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and allow it to continue cooling complete.

Kid Chefs, Anabelle and Ady

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The Chef You and I show with host Kathryn Raaker as she welcomes two young chefs, Anabelle and Ady. They share their favorite recipes: Omelet Muffins, Spinach Balls, Strawberry Muffins, Kale chips and Berry Crisp with ice cream.

Omlette Muffins
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Omelet Muffins

Ingredients

  • 12 Eggs
  • 1/4 cup Milk
  • choice toppings: Cheddar Cheese shredded
  • Monterey Jack Cheese shredded
  • Feta cheese crumbled
  • spinach
  • bacon cooked, drained
  • Mushrooms Sliced/chopped
  • Green onions sliced
  • Sweet Peppers finely chopped
  • Sundried Tomatoes drained, julienned
  • etc.

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat oven to 350°
  • 2. Beat eggs in bowl
  • 3. Add milk
  • 4. Grease muffin tin
  • 5. Pour eggs in to muffin tin (about ¾ full)
  • 6. Add ingredients of your choice
  • 7. Bake for 20 minutes

Spinach Balls
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Spinach Balls

Ingredients

  • 10 oz package spinach Fresh (chop in Food processor)
  • 2 cup Italian bread crumbs
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated or shredded
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 4 small green onion finely chopped
  • 4 Eggs lightly beaten
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat oven to 350
  • 2. In a mixing bowl, mix spinach, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, butter, green onion, eggs, salt and pepper.
  • 3. Shape the balls into 1 inch balls.
  • 4. Arrange balls in a single layer on large baking sheet.
  • 5. Bake in the preheated oven 10 to 15 minutes until lightly browned.

Kale Chips
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Kale Chips

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch Kale
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • Seasonings of choice

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat oven to 350°
  • 2. Rinse and dry kale
  • 3. Remove from the ribs and cut into small pieces
  • 4. Place kale in a large mixing bowl and add olive oil.
  • 5. Add seasoning of choice (salt, rosemary, garlic)
  • 6. Toss
  • 7. Spread kale on baking sheet
  • 8. Bake 20 minutes until crispy

Strawberry muffins
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Fresh Strawberry Muffins

Ingredients

  • 3 cups purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 4 large Eggs room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups canola or coconut oil
  • 2 1/2 cups fresh strawberries sliced and slightly mashed

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425° Combine dry ingredients in large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, combine eggs and oil. Stir strawberries into egg mixture. Blend in flour mixture until thoroughly combined, but do not over beat. Spoon into greased muffin tins until nearly full. Bake at 425° for 5 minutes then reduce heat to 350° and bake an additional 15-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Easy Berry Crisp
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Easy Berry Crisp

Ingredients

  • 6-7 cups of your choice of berries
  • 1/4 c granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 3/4 c firmly packed brown sugar
  • 3/4 c all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 3/4 c rolled oats
  • 1 stick butter cut into pieces, at room temperature, 1/2 c

Instructions

Main

  • 1. Preheat oven to 375°
  • 2. Combine berries, white sugar and vanilla, spread in the bottom of a 9” pie plate or 9x9 baking dish.
  • 6. Sprinkle Topping (Below) evenly over the berries,
  • 7. bake at 375° Bake for 25 minutes or until golden and berries are bubbling. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream on top.

Topping

  • 4. Mix brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and oats together.
  • 5. Using a fork (or pastry blender) cur butter into dry mixtures until well combined.

What will we make today?

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Today on the Chef, You and I show, Kathryn invites her friend, Chef Brian Moore, to help her make bread using the Average Joe Artisan Bread kit. In addition, Chef Moore helps Kathryn make pizza dough and then they make a fondue to enjoy with the bread.