Heavenly Ham's ACTUAL Classic Ham Salad Recipe

The logo of the former Heavenly Ham

Years ago, I shared the actual Turkey Salad recipe from the now-defunct ham store chain, Heavenly Ham. Since then, I've received requests for other recipes from the chain. I have had to substitute a few ingredients as the originals were proprietary to Heavenly Ham and didn't transfer when Honey Baked bought them.

One of the easiest and most beloved recipes from Heavenly Ham was their Ham Salad. Contrary to popular belief, it only contained three ingredients, making it incredibly simple to recreate. Here’s a recipe that’s as close to the original Heavenly Ham's Ham Salad as you can get today.

A box lunch similar to what you'd get from Heavenly Ham back in the day.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Spiral Sliced Ham or any thicker cut (honey smoked is a must; brand doesn’t matter)

• 1/2 cup Special Sauce (see below)

• 2 stalks of green onion

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients into a food processor.

2. Chop until mixed but not too fine.

3. Enjoy on your favorite bread with a slice of Havarti cheese, a slather of mayo, and special sauce.

Heavenly Ham's Special Sauce was nothing more than equal parts of Heavenly Ham's That Mustard and Mayonnaise. That Mustard was one of the proprietary items that is no longer made so I had to clone my own version which comes as close as you will get.

Heavenly Ham's Special Sauce

Ingredients:

• Equal parts of Mayonnaise and Heavenly Ham's That Mustard

Heavenly Ham That Mustard Clone:

• 1/2 cup Spicy Brown Mustard

• 2 tbsp Honey

• 2 tbsp Mayonnaise

• Dash of Red Ground Cayenne Pepper

Defunct Heavenly Ham's Legendary Turkey Salad Recipe

Back in 1997, I had the pleasure of working for Heavenly Ham, which was the chief competitor to Honey Baked Ham at the time. When I left the company, I had the recipes for their Tuna Salad, Pasta Salad, Ham Salad, Chicken Salad, and Turkey Salad burned in my memory. The turkey salad was ALWAYS my favorite throughout my time working for Heavenly Ham. Now that they are no longer in business and have been bought out by Honey Baked Ham, many of their products are no longer produced. While Honey Baked Ham does offer a turkey salad, it is not THE turkey salad. It's a shame because the turkey salad at Heavenly Ham was unbelievably good and far better in my opinion. Although many people don't care for its appearance or assume its ingredients sound unappetizing, don't let the mayo content scare you off. Once mixed, its calorie count is no different than spreading a little on bread. Given the fact that turkey is a low-calorie and low-fat food, it balances out nicely.

Turkey Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

• 16 oz package of Smoked Turkey Breast (lunch meat slices)

• 1 9oz jar Major Grey Chutney (located in the ketchup aisle; like the photos above)

• 1 1/2 cups of Mayo (NOT Miracle Whip or Mayo Dressing)

• 2 to 3 Scallion Stalks

• 1/2 tbsp Black Pepper

Instructions:

1. Empty the jar of chutney and scallions into a food processor or Cuisinart and puree. Use a spatula to pour the mixture into a mixing bowl. Don't worry about rinsing the processor between steps; it all gets mixed together anyway.

2. Chop the turkey in the food processor (almost to a ground texture) and pour it into the mixing bowl.

3. Add the mayo and black pepper, mix well, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

This turkey salad is especially tasty on sandwiches made with croissants, lettuce, Havarti cheese slices, and tomato. It also makes a great alternative protein in salads or served with crackers.

Defunct Heavenly Ham Tuna Salad Recipe, as close as you can get

In the past, I've shared recipes from the old ham store where I used to work, Heavenly Ham. Since recipes use common ingredients and aren't protected by copyright, and because Heavenly Ham didn't have proprietary formulas, it's all fair game. Heavenly Ham closed its doors years ago, and though Honey Baked Ham acquired the properties, they didn't continue using the original recipes for some of the amazing fixings Heavenly Ham offered. I worked there long enough to learn every aspect of the business, including all the ingredients, to the point where I could walk in and prep salads and the sandwich station by muscle memory.

Since sharing the Heavenly Ham recipes for both Turkey Salad and Ham Salad, or at least as close as you can get with items easily acquired from most grocery stores, I have received requests for the Potato Salad, Pasta Salad, Chicken Salad, and Tuna Salad recipes offered by Heavenly Ham. This one is all about tuna. While I didn't care much for Heavenly Ham's Tuna Salad because I prefer chopped pickles or relish and hard-boiled eggs in my tuna, it was a breeze to make due to the few ingredients. We made ours in large batches that wouldn't freeze well, and I wouldn't recommend storing it in the refrigerator for more than five days.

Here’s the recipe:
2 cans of tuna in water, drained
1 tablespoon of dried chopped scallions
1 teaspoon of lemon-dill seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of white pepper
1/2 cup of mayo (add more if it’s too dry for you, but wait until everything is blended to make that call)

Stir, refrigerate, and enjoy up to five days. Don't forget a slice of Havarti cheese, which was the cheese we used in the late 1990s. If you don't have or can't find lemon-dill seasoning, you can use dried dill and lemon pepper seasoning, but forgo the white pepper since lemon pepper already contains pepper. I've heard that some of the franchised locations used different recipes, but this was the one we used at the Buckhead location and taught franchise owners. If you're interested in the other Heavenly Ham salad recipes, I only have one more to share—Pasta Salad—since I don't remember how to make the official chicken salad. I blocked that memory out because it contained grapes, and I don't like chicken salad with grapes. The potato salad wasn't made in the store; it was actually Reser's Deviled Egg Potato Salad scooped from a carton and repacked into plastic containers.

Remembering Doo-Dads Snack Mix: A Nostalgic Treat with a Copycat Recipe

If you're a fan of classic snack mixes, you might remember Doo-Dads, a beloved treat from the 70s and 80s. This nostalgic snack, originally produced by Nabisco, was a delightful blend of crispy corn cereal, mini pretzels, mixed nuts, and cheese-flavored crackers, all coated in a savory mix of butter, Worcestershire sauce, and spices. Though it's no longer available on the market, its memory lives on in the hearts of snack enthusiasts who yearn for its unique flavor combination. I remember the first time I had doo-dads, I was visiting my Aunt Joan and she offered me some doo-dads in a Dixie Cup. I was obsessed with them. My mom bought them for years, until she switched to Chex-Mix, which were slightly similar but NOT at all the same thing.

For those who want to relive the magic of Doo-Dads, here's a copycat recipe that I found in a long out of print book at the library that captures the essence of this classic snack mix:

**Copycat Doo-Dads Recipe:**

- 2 cups crispy corn cereal

- 2 cups mini pretzels

- 1 cup mixed nuts

- 1 cup cheese-flavored crackers

- 1/2 cup melted butter

- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

- 1 teaspoon garlic powder

- 1 teaspoon onion powder

- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt

**Instructions:**

1. Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C).

2. In a large bowl, combine the corn cereal, pretzels, nuts, and crackers.

3. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and seasoned salt, stirring until well combined.

4. Pour the butter mixture over the snack mix, tossing to coat evenly

5. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is evenly coated and crispy

6. Allow to cool completely before serving.

This homemade version of Doo-Dads is perfect for parties, movie nights, or just satisfying those snack cravings. Enjoy!

My go to fruity drink for customers who didn't know what they wanted: Banana RUM Punch

 When I was a bartender, there were several different types of customers that could try your patience until you are ready to explode. The ones who would walk up to the bar and rush me because they think they are about to be sat were the worst, especially knowing they could just wait until they got to their table to order because most of the time, I would make their drink and rather than paying and tipping me they would want to get the check transferred over. We had a policy to pay at the bar and the customer would get mad and not tip based on me following policy.

There's a lot of other types that would be troublesome but the type that seems to be annoying for all bartenders are the ones who don't know what they want but they know they don't want beer or wine. I would ask questions based on various tastes and fruity seemed to be the one those people would settle on, if it were a manly man, I would totally blindside them with foo-foo garnishes on my go to fruity offering just for giggles. While I know I could have talked anyone into a Long Island Tea or a BMF, my favorite was Banana Rum Punch because they were super easy to make and it always put a smile on people no matter if it was their drink or someone else. So here's the recipe I used...not all bars have Banana Rum but ours did.

1.5 ounce banana rum
2 ounces orange juice
2 ounces pineapple juice
top off with Sprite
splash of grenadine
Orange and lemon slices for garnish

Instructions
Shake banana rum, orange juice and pineapple juice till foamy
Pour into tall glass over ice, top with Sprite add a splash of grenadine, which will slowly sink to the bottom.

Serve with orange and lemon slices for garnish and enjoy your fruity drink.

ROCK ON!!!

My favorite taco seasoning recipe

I don't buy those taco seasoning packets anymore because I've realized that those same spices are in my spice rack and I could make the same thing without MSG and preservatives. This works well for both ground beef as well as ground turkey. This makes enough spice for up to a pound and a half of meat.

1 tbsp chili powder

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt (I use ground sea salt)

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp paprika

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container until ready to use.