GOODBYE 2024…that’s a wrap!

By: Sarah

 

Cheers to a new year my friends, As they always remind us, new year, new beginnings, another chance for us to get things right and welcome with excitement the possibilities of a better year. My 2024 wasn’t at all bad, it was definitely both fun-filled and laden with responsibilities. So happy to not be laden with debt, no please, but splurging with caution is my new kind of happiness. New year’s is always the perfect time to reflect on both the wonderful and heartbreak experiences of the past year. An unexpected death in the family in early 2024 caused some complicated reactions and sadness. Picking up the pieces and moving on was not difficult with the support of family and friends. I made it through some things I thought I couldn’t. Moving forward, 2024 was both unique and a year full of adventures and unforgettable memories.

January 2024 – Cousin Dutchie’s granddaughter Aissa loves to dress up, put make up on, get nails done and love love my Super Moist Chocolate Cake. Happy to have such a wonderful fan!

February 2024 – Frequent visits to newly-opened Seafood City, shopping galore indeed!

March 2024 – A week stay in Oahu, a revisit, and this time didn’t skip Pearl Harbor. Glenn took another dip at Waikiki Beach to cool off. Had a taste of the world famous Dole Whip.

April 2024 – A wonderful ANA (All Nippon Airways) experience coming back home. Enjoyed quality time with Nephew Emman, loving relatives Nong Fons/ Nang Belen Basinang and Mike Rafael. Escapades with CPU classmates: Palangging Rose, Kaylin and Dottie. Bonding with UP HS mates, kasadya: Grace Marie Aguro Aldeguer, Lourdes Hechanova, Lea Gonzales, Rose Molina, Luzette Terruel.

May 2024 – A sunny escape at Cancun, Mexico…all-inclusive vacation package. Bongga.

June 2024 – Destination Vancouver, Canada. And my cheesy ensaymadas never failed to make an impression to relatives — Abdi Yucel, Nene Dheseree, kids Efe, Mete, Ege, Emre, Nong David, Nang Cora, Apple, Anthony, Tofie, and yes Bebing Cherry can’t have enough.

July 2024 – Everything seem to be all fine when playing mahjong with friends. Potluck, yes, then Sharon next. It’s mahjong without a lot of betting, it’s a time to de-stress, it’s a harmless way to kill time and it saves you a lot from spending more at restaurants and shopping temptation. Self-care, yes.

August 2024 – Oh Hurricane Beryl, first real encounter to a blackout, power outage for days. No A/c, no Wifi. And a generator that just didn’t want to work this time. Ah, life!

September 2024 – The final stretch of summer, and as the weatherman always says, there is plenty of hot 100 degrees weather and summer lovin’. Guess, embrace summer. Relief comes from enjoying ripe sweet mangoes.

October 2024 – Nephew Emman going back to school after two years of homeschooling. We could no longer see that gloom on his face.

November 2024 – Another trip back home, Iloilo, including 1st visit to Guimaras Island and Garin Farms. BFFs Magnificent 7 formed: Billy, Rose, Helen, Kaylin, Dottie and Patrick. Wonderful lunch treat from Vegas’ Sonny and Grace Confesor with UP classmates.

December 2024 – End-of-year trip to Bangkok and Saigon (Vietnam) with Glenn. Really needing some recuperation time at the end of the trip. Will post pics in 2025…and Thai and Vietnam recipes you don’t want to miss.

MY BAKED HAM

ads are out, and hams on sale. Use this as an opportunity to try my baked ham recipe. Glenn gives it 2 thumbs up — it’s gotta be good! Best option for beginners is bone-in spiral sliced ham.
1 bone-in fully cooked spiral cut ham (10-12 pounds, one pound per person is a good rule)
Cooking Glaze:
2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice 1 cup packed light brown sugar
1-2 tablespoons Chinese 5 spice powder 2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon salt
onion slices and orange slices
Final (Basting and Serving) Glaze:
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
juice of 1-2 oranges (1/2 cup)
5-6 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon each: garlic powder, onion powder, ground coriander, dried basil, ground ginger, paprika and ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon: ground nutmeg, ground cloves

Let ham come to room temperature (remove from fridge 2 hours before cooking. Remove packaging, rinse and pat dry. Line onion slices and orange slices in bottom of a deep baking dish. Place the ham sliced side up first. Preheat oven to 325 F.

Prepare the Cooking Glaze. In a medium saucepan, combine pineapple juice, brown sugar, Chinese 5 spice powder, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and let simmer until liquid reduced to half and becomes syrupy.

Brush cooking glaze onto the ham and into the folds of the cut slices. Place the ham flat/cut side down over onion slices and orange slices (you may want to rest the ham on a metal cooling rack, if available). Cover the ham tightly with a tent of aluminum foil. Bake for 1 1/2 – 2 hours until internal temperature of ham reaches 110 degrees. Remove the ham from the oven. Remove the aluminum foil and place the ham sliced side up again. Increase oven temperature to 400 F

. Prepare the Final Glaze. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add rest of the ingredients and mix well. Brush ham all over and in between slices with half of the final glaze. Return to the oven and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and baste again. Tent with foil and allow to rest 15 minutes before serving. Arrange pineapple slices and cherries on ham before serving.

Cheers to a stronger and happier 2025! Because no matter how hard the past, we can always begin again.