Caprese Italian Pasta

• 1-lb pasta  your choice of pasta 
• 5 large tomatoes
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2  medium garlic cloves minced
• 15 sliced fresh basil leaves 
• 8- oz fresh diced mozzarella
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• salt & pepper to taste optional 
• dash of red pepper flakes optional 

• Dice tomatoes place in colander for 10 minutes, until most of liquid has drained. Transfer to a small bowl, add in olive oil, vinegar, garlic, basil, red pepper and salt & pepper. Set aside while cooking pasta.  This will also help to season
• Boil pasta according to the package directions. Drain well and toss with tomato mixture in a warm pot, add in mozzarella and half the Parmesan. 
• Set aside for 5 minutes for cheeses to melt. 
• Serve topped with extra Parmesan and a loaf of Italian bread and Red wine.

Dutch Apple Cinnamon Bread

• 1/2 cup softened butter 1 cube
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs large
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 tsp Almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups diced peeled green apple
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Topping

• 6 tbsp cold not melted butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Vanilla Glaze

• 1 tbsp melted butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a bread pan with parchment paper. Or you can spray with non-stick cooking spray.
• Cream butter , sugar in a mixing bowl. Add in eggs, milk, almond extract and stir to mix well. Mix in flour, salt and baking powder. Fold in apples and nuts into  the batter and  transfer mixture to prepared baking pan.
• Topping, combine all ingredients and mix with a fork or pastry mixer until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter in pan.
• Bake for 50-60 minutes, until toothpick inserted in bread comes out clean.
• Let cool remove from pan. 
• Whisk glaze ingredients until smooth and drizzle over top of bread. 
• Slice and serve warm or cold 
• Store leftovers in an airtight container.

Baked Ham

1 cooked ham  8 pounds
1 cup Brown sugar
4 tablespoons of pancake syrup
1 teaspoon of mustard
3 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup color water
1 jar of pitted cherries do not drain
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon of almond flavor

Preheat oven to 325
Place ham on a rack in roasting pan, slice surface of ham, cutting 1/4 in deep.
Mix brown sugar, syrup and mustard, pour over ham and into slices made. Bake covered 1 3/4 hours.

In a saucepan mix cornstarch, sugar and water until smooth.  Add cherries, bring to a boil.  Cook and stir until thickened about 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat stir in lemon juice and extract and pour over ham and serve.

I also cook the ham with Pineapple and cherries

Serve warm.
Serves 12