Sliced Ham and Pineapple in Mustard Sauce

I had a lovely weekend visiting two beautiful homes that are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Friday night Husband and I traveled to Winter Park to celebrate the wedding of Joanna Campbell Slan's son and his wife. A private wedding was performed in November at Joanna's Florida home, and the family and friends partied in December at Casa Feliz. It's a beautiful former private home that is available to tour several times a week and for weddings.

Saturday I attended the Fika Pause at Hallstrom House. Axel Hallstrom built his lovely, two-story home/office at his pineapple plantation, completing it in 1918. He was a Swedish immigrant who came to the Vero Beach/Fort Pierce area in 1903. The Fika Pause is a coffee and pastry break similar to afternoon tea. Delicious Swedish pastries were made by Kelly Thompson, one of the Indian River County Historical Society's volunteers. After the treats, we were able to tour the house on our own.

Talk about Axel Hallstrom's pineapple plantation got me thinking about how to use the can of sliced pineapple in my pantry. I had a jar of honey and pineapple mustard, and bought a small sliced ham. A few pantry staples later, I had a fast and easy dinner on the table.

Sliced Ham and Pineapple in Mustard Sauce

1 can sliced pineapple in juice, 1/4 C juice reserved
2T butter
2T brown sugar
2T honey and pineapple mustard (or your favorite mustard)
1 small sliced ham

In a saute pan, heat the reserved pineapple juice with the butter and brown sugar. Add the pineapple slices and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the warmed fruit from the pan, and add mustard to the pan, stirring it into the juice/butter/brown sugar mixture. Layer the sliced ham in the pan, and top with the warm pineapple, adding any juices from the pineapple to the pan. Baste the ham with the sauce, and warm through on low heat.

Serve with the side dishes of your choice. I had an acorn squash and a spaghetti squash, and cooked both to serve with the ham. Delicious! And leftovers of ham and pineapple for another meal.

What historic houses are in your area? I'd love to hear about them.

Celebrating Our Son's Wedding

Last night, we had the reception for our son's wedding. My new daughter-in-law, Chelsea, planned every detail to perfection--along with input from my son, Michael. They chose Casa Feliz, a historic home in Winter Park, Florida. I rode to the site with Michael, who was driving "Laura," his 69 Cutlass convertible. It was a glorious night to have the top down on the car.

We were blessed with fabulous weather. The day was balmy, not too humid, and clear. Chelsea and her girlfriends had worked like little elves the night before, assembling floral displays, signs, and frames with photos of the bride and groom.

At five, a guitarist began playing on the front steps while caterers circulated with hors d'oeuvres, including grilled cheese and tomato soup! It was a great way to meet old friends from Chelsea's growing up years and to greet our friends and family. Chelsea's mother, Allison, introduced us to a lot of her friends, and that was great fun.

The DJ, Kristina was super! I danced with my son to "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong, the same song they played at our wedding. Then we sat down to eat steak and salmon.

Next came the toasts. I loved hearing Allison's heartfelt story of how Michael and Chelsea met. My husband, David, wished the couple many years of happiness. After that, we danced the night away. During a break, we crammed into a photo booth, and with the aid of props, had silly pictures taken.

My little grandnephew, Skyler, summed up the evening perfectly: "This is the best day of my life!"