Article: Get a large pot and place the ham inside it. Add enough cold water to completely submerge the ham. Change the water out every 6 to 8 hours as salt crystals cloud the water. Soaking removes some of the salt prevalent in country hams. You can safely soak the ham for up to 72 hours. Country hams are typically uncooked and will need to be in the oven longer than cooked hams. Move the ham to a stream of warm water. Using a stiff-bristled brush, rub away any dark spots you see. These spots are mold and dirt, so you'll want to take care of them before cooking. Don't worry, the mold isn't harmful. It comes from the curing and aging process, similar to some cheeses. 325F (163C) is an average temperature for roasting country ham. You can raise it a little to shorten the cooking time on your ham. Avoid going over 375F (191C) so the ham doesn't dry out. Keep the fat side facing upwards. A roasting pan is the best choice, since it'll be deep enough to hold the ham and the amount of water you'll add to it. You'll usually need a pan with sides about 3in (7.6cm) tall. First, cut away most of the outside fat. Leave a layer 14in (6.4mm) thick. Then use the end of a chef's knife to score the ham in a diamond pattern. Be careful to avoid cutting into the meat. Pour in 5 cups (1183 mL) of water to protect the pan and keep the ham from drying out. If you're using a shallow pan, be sure to check it from time to time to replace the water. If you wish to cook the ham uncovered, only add 2 cups (473 mL) of water. Wrap the foil tightly around the pan and over the ham. It's not necessary to cook it this way, but the the foil does hold in a lot of heat and moisture, When the time is up, pull the ham out and remove the foil. Stick a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the ham. The temperature should read somewhere between 155 to 160F (68 to 71C). If it isn't at 155 , cook the ham a little longer. If you're concerned about the cooking time, estimate that the ham will need about 20 minutes per 1lb (0.45kg). It doesn't hurt to check the ham every hour or so. Depending on the size of the ham and your oven, yours might finish cooking in less time. Pour the glaze over the fat side of the ham, using a pastry brush to spread it. Dry glazes can be patted on by hand instead. Always apply the glaze during the last 30 minutes of the ham's cooking time. You may pull the ham out halfway through that time and reapply the glaze. After the 30 minutes are up, pull the ham back out of the oven and test it with the thermometer. At a minimum, it needs to be 155F (68C). If it was that temperature earlier, it'll be around 170F (77C) now. Both show that the ham was cooked safely. Ham under 155 won't be cooked all the way through and could be unsafe. Set the ham aside. This will allow the juices to seal inside while the inner portion of the ham cooks a little further. Afterwards, the ham is ready to be carved and served.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Soak the ham in cold water if it is uncooked. Scrub the mold off the ham if it is uncooked. Preheat the oven to 325F (163C). Place the ham on a roasting pan. Score the ham with a chef's knife. Add 5 cups of water to the pan. Cover the ham with foil to prevent it from drying out. Cook the ham for 4 hours. Spread a glaze over the ham (if desired). Roast the ham uncovered for an additional 30 minutes. Let the ham rest 20 minutes before carving. Finished.
Article: It is not your fault your parent is an addict. You can tell your mother how you feel and that you'd like her to get treatment, but you can't change her. Often, the only thing that can help an addict is for her to want help for herself and admit she has a problem. If you've tried your best to help, but always end up being hurt or ignored, it's not your fault. Nothing you did made her start doing drugs and you must never blame yourself. You haven't failed your mother or done anything wrong for her to use drugs. Recognize your own risks associated with drugs with a close family history. Kids that have a drug using parent tend to start using drugs and earlier and harder than kids that don't have a drug-using parent. They are also more likely to develop drug disorders. You may feel so involved with the drug problem that you forget to take care of yourself. Make sure you spend time taking care of your own needs. You don't need to give up your social life to take care of your mother. Remember, this is her problem and unfortunately, you're involved in it but not responsible for her. Keep your body and mind healthy, hang out with friends, and do things that make you happy. Don't let your entire life revolve around your mother. Part of taking care of yourself is making sure you have healthy outlets for you to take out your stress, anger, sadness, pain, etc. Being a teenager is hard enough, but having to deal with the stress of having a drug addicted mother makes things a lot harder for you. Engage in activities that make you feel good in your body and your mind. Some easy ways to deal with stress include spending time in nature, writing in a journal, playing with animals, and listening to music. Exercise is a great way to release stress and keep your body happy. Go for a walk, skip, or do some jump rope. You can join sport teams at school to keep you moving. Spend time with friends. One the best ways to bust stress is to surround yourself with fun and supportive people. It's important to have someone in your life that you trust that you can talk to about your mother's problems and how they affect you. It's okay to talk about the hurt, frustration, embarrassment, anger, and fear associated with your mother's use. This can be a coach, guidance counselor, spiritual leader, aunt/uncle, or therapist. It can be helpful to find an adult that has similar experiences to you to talk to. This person can encourage you, show you that you can make it through, and be an example that things can work well for you. It's important to have people to talk to about what's happening in your life and this is really important. If you feel uncomfortable talking with someone you know personally, then here are some hotline phone numbers, and websites to help you out. For family members of alcoholics, check out Al-Anon.org (https://www.al-anon.org). For family members of addicts, check out Nar-anon (https://www.nar-anon.org) For adult children of alcoholics and addicts, check out Adultchildren.org (https://www.adultchildren.org). It can be confusing to work through having a drug addicted mother while trying to be a normal kid, go to school, have friends, and have fun. If you're struggling to keep that balance, it can be helpful to see a therapist. Even if you cannot afford to see an outpatient therapist, you can talk to your school counselor. Therapy can help you find ways to cope and support you through difficult times. Therapy is a safe place for you to share your thoughts and feelings, cry, and be honest.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Do not blame yourself. Stay away from drugs. Keep your own identity. Find healthy ways to cope. Have someone to talk to. Find others with the same story. See a therapist.