Christmas Ham

Each year for Christmas dinner because we usually don't have family over [since they live in FL, MO, & SD] we have a whole ham, au gratin potatoes, vegetable medley/casserole of some sort and usually a "Happy Birthday Jesus" cake.  Since we'd returned from Florida in December 2010, it seemed a little strange having an imperfectly made white cake that signified Jesus' purity, green sprinkles signifying eternal life and red sprinkles signifying the blood he shed for us--for Christmas.

At Easter in 2011 we began having that particular cake for dessert then, instead.  It seemed more fitting with the significance of the symbols.  Yes, I know.  We're flipping things around here, but seriously, isn't "Joy to the World" sung at the wrong time of year?

Ok, I rest my case.

As for our Christmas ham, we use the leftovers to make Split Pea Soup.  We do this every year, sometimes more than once!  :0)  This year, however, I used a "bulk" bag of split peas instead of measuring.  Yup!  I just poured the whole bag in without even thinking!  Well, I figured out rather quickly that I'd have to adjust the amounts we put in to the soup.  LOL  I'd already had my ham bone and all the meat in there, it was just all the seasonings and the vegetables that needed to be adjusted.  Whew!  That was a good save!

Well, I intended to share this wonderful bounty with some friends so it wouldn't go to waste and since I had made almost 18 quarts of soup, it seemed silly not to share.  Go figure!  As I prepared to get ready to go, I received a phone call that the lady of the house wasn't feeling well and to see if the kids could play the following day.  No problem!  We ate our dinner of Split Pea Soup and put the rest away for the following day.

When we were getting ready the following day, I thought, "I'll just put the soup in jars and stick it in the refrigerator for them."  I didn't pressure can the soup because I thought they'd probably eat it that night for dinner.  I also didn't pressure can it because I'd been busy making the gravy for biscuits and gravy that morning for breakfast.  My lovely daughter, HJ, made the biscuits. :0)

A quadruple batch's leftovers after everyone's had breakfast. :0)

I received another phone call right before noon telling me that the Mrs. didn't feel well again and if the Mr. could bring the grand kids over to play at our house.  Great!  No worries!    When they got here, I was able to hand off the soup and hoped that it blessed them as well as a bag of home made baking powder biscuits so they didn't have to cook that night.  I was so glad to be able to bless them with those small things.  I know how difficult it is to be sick and not have a clue what to make for dinner.  

Our Christmas ham has served us well this year, along with some other home made goodies.  :0)

It is my prayer that the Lord will bless us in these small little "oops" ways in the future so that we can pass on the yummy "oopsies" to others too.  LOL