Coconut Raisin Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 can sweet potatoes, mashed
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup raisins 
• 1 cups pecans
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 
  

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, brown sugar, milk, butter and raisins. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish. Sprinkle with pecans and coconut.
3. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven.

A Tokazowski Christmas Ham

Ingredients

• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup ginger ale
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, halved
• 1 (12 pound) fully-cooked, bone-in ham
• 1 (15.25 ounce) can pineapple slices in juice, drained
• 1 box round wooden toothpicks

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the maple syrup, orange juice, ginger ale, brown sugar and honey. Stir in the juice from the maraschino cherries, and half of the cherries.
3. Score the outer edge of the ham with a sharp knife in a diamond pattern. Cuts should be about 1/4 inch deep. This will allow the ham to soak up the juice. 
4. Place the pineapples onto the top of the ham, and secure with toothpicks. Place cherries into the centers of the rings, and secure with toothpicks also.
5. Place the ham into an oven bag, and carefully pour the juice mixture over it, keeping all of the juice in the bag. It may look like there is too much juice, but the ham will soak it up while baking.  Tie the end of the bag closed with the ties provided, place in a large roasting pan, and cut a few small slits in the top of the oven bag.
6. Bake the ham for 2 hours in the preheated oven. The internal temperature should be 160 degrees F (80 degrees C) when done. Be sure not to touch the bone when taking the temperature. Remove ham from bag to a serving plate, and let stand for 10 minutes before carving.

Candy Cane Fudge Wreath

We made this for Ronnie to take into work on Christmas. According to Ronnie everyone liked, though it does come out be a softer texture than your traditional fudge. 

Ingredients

• 2 (10 ounce) packages vanilla baking chips
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (keep the can)
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 1/2 cups crushed candy canes (about 12 candy canes)
• 1 dash red or green food coloring (I used green to make it look more like a reef)

Directions

1. Combine the vanilla chips and sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently until almost melted, remove from heat and continue to stir until smooth. When chips are completely melted, stir in the peppermint extract, food coloring and 1C candy canes.
2. Wash out the condensed milk can and place it in the center of a round baking pan. Then cover the can and the pan with aluminum foil, grease. 
3. Spread evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan. Be careful because the can has a tendency to more, I would recommend one person pouring and the other holding the can down. 
4. Sprinkle the remaining candy canes on top, and gentle press down. 
5. Then place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.