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Ingredients:
2 tubs (8 oz. each) Extra Creamy Cool Whip 1 1/2 cups chopped walnut potica 1 1/2 cups chopped apple potica 2 diced Honeycrisp apples 3/4 cup chopped candied walnuts (see notes)
Instructions:
Fold all ingredients together in a large bowl (reserve a small handful of the mix-ins for garnishing, if desired).
Yield: About 12 servings.
Notes:
For the candied walnuts, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1 cup of chopped walnuts over the sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of honey. In a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the nuts. Stir gently. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring halfway through baking time. Cool completely and break into pieces before adding to the salad.
Potica Glazed Ham
Ingredients:
1 fully cooked bone-in spiral sliced smoked ham (about 10 pounds) 1/2 cup evaporated milk 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar (light brown would work too) 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 cups ground walnuts (about the consistency of panko) 1/4 cup honey 1/2 cup raisins (regular or golden, optional) Walnut potica for serving
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the ham cut-side down in a roasting pan. Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the pan. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake for approximately 18 minutes per pound (see notes). While the ham is baking, add the milk, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and cinnamon to a saucepan. Bring to the boil. Remove from heat and stir in the walnuts and honey. In a small heat-proof bowl, add the raisins and 1/4 cup boiling water. Set aside. In the last 40 minutes of baking, remove the pan from the oven. Use a turkey baster to remove the liquid from the bottom of the pan and reserve for another use. Spread half of the nut mixture over the ham. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Spread with the remaining nut mixture and rotate the pan. Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F. Using meat forks, transfer the ham to a platter and let rest for 10 minutes. Add the raisins and liquid (if using) to the pan with the drippings and nut mixture that slid off of the ham. Stir the sauce until fully combined and pour into a bowl. Serve the sliced ham on slices of potica with a bit of sauce spread on top, if desired. Yield: About 12-16 servings.
Notes:
My grandmother always made a raisin sauce for her ham, and since raisins are often added to walnut potica, I decided to add raisins to my sauce. If you’re not a raisin fan, you can leave those out. I recommend saving the rendered ham broth for making gravy or using it in soup along with the ham bone. The packaging on the ham I used called for it to be baked for 15 minutes per pound. Due to oven temperatures and ham sizes varying, the time on the packaging is just a rough estimate. I have found that hams weighing 10 pounds or higher usually take 18-20 minutes per pound. Use a meat thermometer to ensure your ham comes up to temperature before serving. The ham is fully-cooked, so you are really just warming it through.
