Great Holiday Meals Begin with a Delicious Ham

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Preparing a delicious ham for the holiday dinner table is easy and stress-free, thanks to the Kentucky Legend Ham Hotline staffed by experts on standby to help assure every ham turns out perfectly throughout the holiday cooking season.

The hotline at 1-866-343-5058 is open from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday-Friday, from November 8 through December 30.  Ham experts will help at-home chefs choose, prepare and serve ham, right down to providing ideas for the tasty and versatile leftovers.

Launched last year in response to the many calls received regarding ham preparation, the Kentucky Legend Ham Hotline is the first hotline dedicated just to ham.  Consumer questions have ranged from the expected - such as what size ham to buy and what glazes go good with ham - to the unexpected.  "One caller asked if she could freeze small chunks of ham in ice cube trays and later add the ham ice cubes to mixed drinks," said Janet Sweeney, marketing director for Kentucky Legend Ham.  "We advised her that this isn't really recommended."

Culinary experts do agree that creating a ham dinner – especially with the hotline for backup - isn't difficult, and the leftovers are always welcome.  "Even someone who doesn't cook often can wow their family and guests with a great ham dinner," says Diane Morgan, author of more than 16 cookbooks, including several on entertaining (www.dianemorgancooks.com).  "And the holiday dinner is just the beginning – the leftovers can star at every meal, from a breakfast omelette to economical casseroles for lunch and dinner."

Ham, of course, is also America's favorite sandwich meat.  Consumers can learn more about ham and find recipes at www.specialtyfoodsgroup.com.

Kentucky Legend Hams have been made for more than 100 years in Owensboro, Kentucky, where producing great hams is done the traditional way – by hand, from a recipe handed down through generations.  

Kentucky Legend Hams are produced by Specialty Foods Group. Specialty Foods Group, Inc (SFG) is a leading U.S. producer and marketer of a wide variety of premium branded and private-label processed meat products.

SOURCE Kentucky Legend Hams