Question: I would like to make an Easter dinner ham for my husband's family. What is the best way to cook it? The only other time I cooked a ham, it seemed to be very dark and tough. I would like to make a good impression.ANSWER: If you want to make an impression, just put your foot down and announce that you are not cooking and that you've made dinner reservations for which your father-in-law's credit card will be happily accepted. I'm only guessing here, but maybe that's not the impression you were shooting for.The first place to start with your dinner is to decide what kind of ham you want to cook.You basically have three choices. There is raw (fresh) ham, cured ham, and of course a pre-cooked ham. All hams come from the hind leg of a hog; the fresh ham is simply that cut in its raw state.Fresh hams should have a pinkish red color that turns grayish white after cooking. Because it is uncured and not smoked, the flavor is very similar to a pork loin or pork chops.If you choose to cook a fresh ham, just like the other two options, get one with the bone in.It will have much more flavor, and besides, when you're ready to make a great split pea or lentil soup with the leftovers, you will want that ham bone for its unforgettable flavor.Since I brought up the "L" word — leftovers — let's agree on how much meat to buy.Because you don't want your impression to be "Cheap Host Who Ran Out of Ham on Easter," count on buying somewhere in the neighborhood of one pound of bone-in ham per person.As with any raw pork item, you will want to cook it until a thermometer reads 160 degrees.For a fresh bone-in ham that weighs about 12-16 pounds, a good rule of thumb is about 23 to 25 minutes per pound in a 325-degree oven. But at the end of the day, use that thermometer.The second choice is the cured ham or country ham.The best examples of these are prosciutto, which is dry-cured and has never been cooked or smoked, and a Smithfield ham, which (like most country hams) has been cured and cold smoked, but still not cooked.These hams are safe to eat even though they haven't been cooked, and in my opinion are best when sliced and eaten cold.Some people do cook these, and if that's the way you want to go, I just recommend soaking them overnight to remove the saltiness that comes from the curing.The last choice is just the good old cooked ham, which may or may not be smoked.These are often labeled as "ready-to-eat" hams, they are really easy to deal with, and very good when reheated. Because they are already cooked, they only need to be heated to an internal temperature of about 130 degrees (about 8 minutes per pound in a 325-degree oven).Whichever ham you choose, the best way to make the impression you are looking for is to finish your ham with a wonderful glaze.I'm sharing a couple of glazes with you, however, I'm sure you can come up with a glaze of your own.In creating your own glaze, keep in mind that you probably want a sweetener (like brown sugar or honey), a mustard or vinegar, and a variety of spices.Some spices that work really well with ham are ginger, cloves, allspice and cinnamon.Remember to put the glaze on the ham only in the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking.You want the glaze to caramelize and give your ham that wonderful golden brown sheen, but make sure you don't burn the sugars in the glaze.The glazing process is basically the same for any glaze and any ham. I hope your dinner is a big success for you — and after this Easter, I say it's your in-laws' turn to make an impression.To glaze a ham:n Remove the ham from the oven approximately 20 to 30 minutes before it is done.• Pour the drippings from the pan. Drippings can be thrown out.• With a sharp knife trim the fat, leaving approximately a ¼-inch layer of fat.• Score the ham by making diagonally cuts in one direction and then making cuts in the opposite direction, again with a sharp knife, forming diamond shapes in the fat. Cloves can be stuck in the middle of each diamond if desired.• Glaze the ham. Turn the oven up from 325 to 375 degrees and place the glazed ham in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until the glaze has caramelized and turned a golden brown. Watch carefully because glazing can burn easily.• Remove from oven and carve.

¼ cup honey¼ cup maple syrup1 8½-ounce can crushed pineapple with juice¼ cup fresh lemon juice1 tablespoon cornstarch2 tablespoons prepared horseradish2 teaspoons soy sauce¼ teaspoon ground gingerCombine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring to smoothly mix in cornstarch. Boil until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Glaze as directed.

¼ cup brandy (optional)½ cup firmly packed brown sugar2 tablespoons cornstarch1 cup cold water½ cup golden raisins1 teaspoon ground ginger3 tablespoons lemon juice1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard¼ teaspoon cinnamonCombine brown sugar and cornstarch. Stir in water and brandy. Cook, stirring constantly, until clear and thickened. Stir in remaining ingredients. Thirty minutes before ham is done, remove from oven.Spoon glaze onto surface of ham. Continue baking.Serve any extra glaze with ham.

¼ cup honey1½ cups marmalade½ cup brown sugar¼ cup fresh orange juice½ teaspoon ground cloves¼ teaspoon cinnamon¼ teaspoon allspiceIn a saucepan, combine all ingredients. Heat slowly until smooth, beating with wire whisk. Use glaze to baste as directed.Don't forget to serve any extra glaze.