Come for brunch, y’all

A delicious, tender ham is a long known secret of gracious entertaining for Food Network celebrity cook Paula Deen. Easy-to-fix, glazed ham garners "oohs" and "ahhs" at the table and continues to please from breakfast through midnight snack. And, ham's sweet, smoky flavor always brings them back for more.

"Americans are craving more yummy, intense flavors that satisfy the taste buds and the appetite," Deen said. "This year, glaze your ham with a sweet, baked-caramel crunch that is so beautiful to serve and delicious to bite into." Just heat the glaze, spoon evenly over the top of the ham and return the ham to the oven for 15 minutes to allow the glaze to caramelize. It's that easy - even if you're not Paula Deen.

Visit Smithfield.com to find more recipes and watch Paula Deen prepare Crunchy Honey Glaze Spiral Sliced Ham.

Banana and Bacon Stuffed French Toast
Serves 6
Cooking Time: 15 Minutes
1  (500 grams) loaf brioche (substitute egg bread)
1 package mascarpone (substitute cream cheese)
3 to 4 bananas, sliced lengthwise (each banana should yield 4 slices)
1 pound bacon, cooked until crisp
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange zest
Pinch salt
Pinch pepper
6 tablespoons butter
Pure maple syrup, warmed
1 pint fresh berries for garnish
Powdered sugar for dusting

Slice brioche into 6 slices approximately 1 inch wide. Cut each slice almost all the way in half leaving a "hinged" edge. Spread thin layer of mascarpone on inside of one side of each slice. Lay two banana slices and cooked bacon on mascarpone. Press brioche together. In large bowl add eggs, milk, cream, cinnamon, vanilla, orange zest, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Melt butter in large skillet or on griddle. Working in batches, dip each stuffed brioche into egg mixture, being careful not to allow bacon and bananas to fall out. Grill on each side until golden brown. Pool maple syrup on large plate and place 1 piece stuffed brioche on syrup. Sprinkle fresh berries on top of brioche and dust entire plate with powdered sugar.

>> Serving suggestions: Cafe au lait and fresh clementine juice make this breakfast complete.

Easy Ham Bread Benedict
Serves 6. Cooking Time: 1 hour.

Bread
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch black pepper
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili pepper
1 1/2 cups grated spiral sliced ham
3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese (you can substitute Swiss cheese)
1 package active dry yeast

Blender Hollandaise
2 egg yolks
1 lemon, juiced
2 shakes hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)

Eggs
1 tablespoon white vinegar
6 eggs
Garnish
Flat-leaf parsley

>> Bread: Preheat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, thoroughly mix flour, eggs, milk, oil, salt and peppers. Fold in ham and cheese. Sprinkle yeast over top and mix well. Pour into prepared 4- by 10-inch loaf pan. Bake until golden, about 1 hour. (This is a dense bread without much of a rise.) Pour off any oil that may have oozed out during baking. When cooled, cut into 3/4-inch slices and toast in the oven.

>> Blender Hollandaise: Put egg yolks, lemon juice, hot sauce and salt in blender and pulse to combine. Put butter in micro­wave safe bowl and microwave until melted. With blender running, gradually add melted butter into egg mixture until smooth and frothy. If sauce is too thick, add 1 teaspoon warm water to thin.

>> Eggs: Fill large skillet with water half way up sides. Add vinegar and bring to low simmer. Break eggs into water to poach. Remove poached eggs with slotted spoon when whites are cooked through, but yolks are still runny (approximately 3 to 4 minutes).

>> To assemble: Place 1 piece toasted ham bread on each plate. Place 1 poached egg on top of toast and pour generous amount of hollandaise over it. Garnish with sprig of flat-leaf parsley.