Pineapple Stuffing

Christmas Ham, Easter Ham, Boxing day or Cinco De Mayo.  It doesn't matter WHEN you make ham, you won't do it without this delicious side dish.  I can't even remember where this recipe came from. I wish I could because I would give that person a giant hug. 
This pineapple stuffing is almost like a bread pudding....no no don't make that face...it's good!
It truly can't be any easier either.  I have adjusted the recipe over the years to suit my taste.  Less butter and sugar, more bread and eggs. 

Ingredients:

5 tbs softened butter
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple (with juice)
3/4 C sugar
5 eggs
8-10 slices white bread

Baking instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat or whisk together the butter, eggs, sugar and pineapple until thoroughly mixed.  Tear the bread in pieces and fold into the mixture.  If the mixture still seems quite liquidy you can add a couple more slices of bread. I have used up to eleven.  Transfer into an 8X8 or 9X9 baking dish.  Bake for about an hour until bubbly and the top is light golden brown.  Let stand for about 10 minutes and serve beside your Halloween Ham. 

                                                                                                

Goat Cheese and Cranberry/Pear/Ginger relish crostini

Leftovers..leftovers...leftovers. What to do with the Cranberry/Pear/Ginger Relish leftovers.  I have to admit..my husband still digs the canned jellied cranberry sauce. So, you can still find it on on our holiday tables.  But....cranberry sauce is so easy to make there's no reason not too. Not only does it taste delicous, it looks festive as well.  So lets get to it:

Cranberry/Pear/Ginger relish ingredients:

2 bags Fresh cranberries

2 Bartlett Pears cored and diced

2 Oranges

1 Lemon

1 ½ cups sugar

½ Cup Dried Cranberries

2 tsp fresh grated ginger

¼ Cup Apricot Preserves

In a large saucepan over medium low heat combine the cranberries, pears, ginger, sugar, zest from two oranges and one lemon and the juice of one orange.  Let cook down until berries pop and the mixture becomes thick and syrupy.  This should take about 10-15 minutes.  Add dried cranberries and the apricot preserves and stir.  Continue to cook over low heat for 5 more minutes just to give the dried cranberries time to plump up.

Remove mixture from heat and cool.  Once cool, place in the fridge to thicken.  Relish will keep for at least a week in the fridge.   Before assembling crostini, remove from refrigerator and bring to room temperature

Crostini’s

2 6 oz logs of goat cheese

2 skinny baguettes

Pinenuts

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Slice the baguettes on a bias in quarter inch thick pieces and place on cookie sheet. Drizzle with EVOO.  Place the crostini in the oven.  At the same time, put the goat cheese in oven safe dish and place that in the oven as well.  Bake the crostini until lightly golden brown and the cheese until warmed through.  It will be easily spreadable.  In order to keep the goat cheese warm, you can do two things.  You can place an oven safe serving platter in the oven to heat it.  Transfer warmed goat cheese to the heated service plate. If your serving dish isn’t oven proof, fill with boiling water while the cheese and crostini bake.  This will heat the plate enough to keep the cheese warmed.   While the cheese warms through, put pinenuts in small dry skillet over low heat just until they begin to turn light brown.  They will burn easily so be sure to not take your eyes off them. Immediately remove from heat. 

To assemble:

Spread a layer of the warmed goat cheese on a crostini, followed by layer of your cranberry relish.  Garnish with pinenuts and serve.