Any of you who may know Edith and I are aware of our connection to the Amish community in Pennsylvania. Over the years we have had the good fortune to meet a number of amazing individuals from that community and have gotten to share in a glimpse of their world from the inside, not just the tourist angle. While there are many things we love about the people of this area, we are, well I am, always interested in trying new foods or old foods served in different ways. A meal at an Amish home can follow a menu much like you’d find on any of the tables around about Albert County but many foods are served with a twist of difference.
With Christmas coming many families in our area will sit down to at least one big celebratory meal often centered around turkey, ham, chicken or beef. With these large spreads comes the challenge of dealing with leftovers and with the cost of food today, using these leftovers is more important than ever.
One of the favorite recipes I’ve picked up from our Amish friends, served in their homes and at many of their buffets is Glazed Ham Balls. It uses up leftover ham to create a delicious meatball type of meal.
Glazed Ham Balls
1 ½ lbs. Ground ham, cooked
1 cup milk
1 lb. loose sausage
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 ½ cups quick oats
Combine ham ingredients. Shape into 1 ½ inch balls. Place in a greased baking dish and bake at 350F for 1 hour. Yields 40 or so balls.
Sauce:
1 cup brown sugar
1 ½ cups light corn syrup
3 tbsps. cornstarch
3 tbsps. vinegar
1 ½ tbsps. mustard
½ tsp. ground cloves
1 ¾ cup pineapple juice
In a saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Pour sauce over ham balls 10 minutes before they are done baking.
This is a delicious meal served with rice and a vegetable. Enjoy.