My mother was an extraordinarily good cook, and I didn't
think that I'd be able to contribute to this thread, until
I remembered what she did with Smithfield ham, which
was to bake it as though it were an ordinary ham, then
serve it in thick slices. She did that only a couple times
before giving up. Otherwise, what she made was either
true to the original recipe (even if one didn't like it, as
with brussels sprouts) or very good or both.