Honey-Glazed Ham

DEAR SOS: For Thanksgiving I want to make a honey-baked ham similar to the ones sold commercially. Can you help?

--ROGER

DEAR ROGER: Here is a recipe for a honey-glazed ham, with instructions for slicing the ham before heating, if you want the ham precut.

BAKED HONEY HAM

2 cups honey

2 cups brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup cider vinegar

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground cloves

1 (5- to 6-pound) cooked ham, bone in, or 1 (3- to 4-pound) boneless ham

Combine honey, brown sugar, vinegar, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. Bake bone-in ham at 350 degrees 1 hour to heat through, basting with honey sauce occasionally. Place in broiler to glaze top.

To cook boneless ham, slice halfway through at 1/4-inch intervals, then tie with string. Place in roasting pan. Heat honey sauce and pour over ham to marinate 24 hours before baking. Then bake at 350 degrees 1 hour or until heated through. Glaze top under broiler, if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

DEAR SOS: Approximately 10 years ago, The Times ran a recipe for a cake made with Bourbon. Although I made it once, I did not keep the recipe. It was an adult cake, and I had youngsters at the time and I failed to allow for their growing up. With no children around an adult cake would not only be delicious, but unique.

--RITA

DEAR RITA: Get out the bourbon. You are going to have a very nice cake.

BOURBON NUT CAKE

4 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

4 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1 cup butter or margarine

2 cups sugar

6 eggs

4 ounces bourbon, about

4 cups coarsely chopped pecans

1 pound dark raisins

1/2 pound candied cherries, sliced or chopped

Powdered sugar

Sift together flour, baking powder and nutmeg. Cream butter well, then gradually add sugar and continue to cream until fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at time.

Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with bourbon. Stir in nuts, raisins and cherries. Turn batter into well-greased 10-inch tube pan lined on bottom with wax paper.

Bake at 300 degrees 2 hours, or until cake tester inserted near center comes out clean. If top begins to brown before cake is done, cover loosely with foil. Remove cake from oven and let stand 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely.

When cool, sprinkle with additional bourbon and wrap. Use more bourbon if fragrant cake is desired. Let cake mellow 1 week or longer for best flavor. Sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar before slicing. Makes about 16 servings.

DEAR SOS: The woman who wrote to you asking for the recipe for Mexican lasagna will be disappointed with the one you printed. I am enclosing the recipe from Lawry’s Consumer Kitchens so you can update your files. This recipe is a favorite of many.

--CINDY

DEAR CINDY: Thanks. By the way, for those who wonder what in the world to do with all that leftover turkey, try using cooked, cubed or chopped leftover turkey meat in lieu of ground beef in this recipe. Brown the turkey lightly before adding seasonings, tomatoes and other ingredients. Continue to cook as directed, even though turkey has been cooked once before.

LAWRY’S MEXICAN LASAGNA

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1 (1 1/4-ounce) package taco seasoning mix

1 cup diced tomatoes, fresh or canned

2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce

1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles

8 ounces ricotta cheese

2 eggs

9 corn tortillas

10 ounces Jack cheese, shredded

Brown ground beef in large skillet until crumbly. Drain fat. Add seasoned salt, taco seasoning mix, tomatoes, tomato sauce and chiles. Blend well. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.

Combine ricotta cheese and eggs in small bowl. Spread 1/2 meat mixture in bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Top with 1/2 tortillas. Spread 1/2 ricotta cheese mixture over tortillas and top with 1/2 Jack cheese.

Repeat layering once more, ending with shredded cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees 20 to 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Makes 8 servings.

Only recipes of general interest will be printed. We are unable to answer all requests. Please include restaurant address when requesting recipes from restaurants. Send your letter with self-addressed, stamped envelope to Culinary SOS, Food Section, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053.