Mandarin Ham Kabobs

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 4 slices white bread -- 1/2" thick
• 3 tablespoons vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 1/2 tablespoons orange marmalade
• 36 cubes cooked ham (1"x1"x1/2")
• 2 small cans mandarin orange sections -- well drained
• cellophane-tipped toothpicks

Preparation:

• Melt 1/2 cup of the butter in a skillet.
• Trim the crusts off the bread and fry the slices in the melted butter until they are light brown on both sides.
• Drain them well on absorbent paper towels.
• Cut fried bread into 1-inch squares.
• Each 4"x4" bread slice yields 9 squares.
• To make the sauce, melt the remaining 1/2 cup butter in the same skillet.
• While the butter is melting, in a small mixing bowl, combine vinegar, mustard, ginger, cloves and orange marmalade.
• Mix well and blend this mixture into the melted butter, stirring well.
• Add the ham cubes to the sauce and simmer gently for about 5 minutes.
• On a cellophane-tipped toothpick, skewer a mandarin orange section, a ham cube, another mandarin orange section and finally a fried bread cube.
• Serve while the meat is hot, or refrigerate the kabobs until party time and serve cold.
• Do-Ahead Note: Assemble the kabobs complete with the mandarin orange garnish several hours before serving time and refrigerate. Serving suggestions: Reserve any remaining sauce to be used as a dip with