Christmas cooking?

[Lucinda]

What's cooking for Christmas where you are?

We may or may not have a neighbor over, and as yet, don't have anything in particular planned for Christmas day. Both my family and Bill's are elsewhere this year. So it will be a quiet day around here.

What's gonna be cooking where you are?

And Happy Holidays C & B.
It really is lovely to be back.
Hope the New Year brings you all great health and much joy. :)

[Stinky The Clown]

1. Our best to you!

Do you have snow down there is the *Great* Smokies?

[Lucinda]

2. Had some but it's gone now.

We do have some in the forecast for Christmas day. Ya nevah know!

[pengillian101]

3. Our pals have done overboard..

Cookies, cakes, snacks, etc.

Neither of us likes it,

[Tsiyu]

4. This busy life has deprived me of cookie baking

that and the lights are the reason for the season for me.

Go figure.

But this evening I FINALLY got to start baking. I told me daughter that when I am really old, at Christmas just prop me up at a table with some flour and butter and vanilla and a rolling pin...I'll be occupied for days...

made kolackies, decorated sugar cookies, wedding cookies, chocolate chip and dough for gingerbread men (tomorrow morning)

Lasagna and eggplant will also be made tomorrow to eat whenever. I am borrowing kitchens since mine is a little lacking :)

But when i found Ricotta for $1.00 a pint, I had to make lasagna. the eggplants were pretty reasonable too.

Happy cooking to everyone.

Happy Winter Sparkly Time :toast:

[Lucinda]

16. :)

Addict!
Merry Christmas :)

[Tsiyu]

27. I know; there should be a Program ; )

for people like us!

But my cookies get scarfed up fast. Which makes me happy :P

I killed my friend's oven last night.

It died on me in the middle of baking ANOTHER batch of kolackies. But I just called and all is well...it was a cord issue, from the door being opened so many times :blush:

I'm so glad I didn't ruin her Christmas dinner tonight!

Delivered some lasagna and eggplant and gifts and cookies to my friends' beautiful cabin last night and now I am watching the beautiful snow fall and getting ready to go out in it to attend to critters.

No trip to family in Atlanta in this snow, you should be getting some there, Lucinda?

Hope everyone has something good to eat and somewhere warm to enjoy it.

:hi:

[Lucinda]

29. Glad the oven lived to tell the tale!

Yawp. We are getting a LOT of snow. 3-4 inches so far, I think, and it's still snowing hard. Really pretty! I may stick out a bowl and collect snow to make snow cream. :)

[japple]

5. Hi neighbor! I made rum balls, cheese straws, orange-almond butter

cookies, spritz, and raspberry crumb bars. Then my sister arrived from Knoxville yesterday bringing chocolate mocha balls. While I was at work, she made spritzerle and oatmeal cookies with chocolate and cranberries. My niece made pecan tassies and my sister-in-law made chocolate coconut balls. I'm so glad I have a freezer. I'll probably still have some of this on hand in July.

This a.m., I'm making dressing, braised red cabbage and apples, biscuits. We are eating at 5:00 and I'll put the turkey in the oven after lunch. Then, we'll make mashed potatoes, green beans and zipper peas. We'll have to cart the whole shebang over to my niece's house next door, because our family has outgrown my little house!

Hope you and Bill and your family have a lovely Christmas. I also hope the weather doesn't get too bad until my sister gets safely back home on Sunday. Yes, it is so great to have you back here, guiding and inspiring us!

[Lucinda]

17. Sounds delicious!

I woke up to a very white Christmas. It's snowing like crazy too!
Hope you have a wonderful day!

[butterfly77]

34. Snow here too, Michigan...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCbFpprZYKE

[Lucinda]

37. Niiice! I hadn't heard that before.

Thankie for posting. Nice mellow music for watching the snow fall :)

[yellerpup]

6. Merry Christmas, Lucinda!

And top of the holidays to you! For Christmas Eve I am making a rack of lamb. Last night we went to a party and I look a bottle of my Christmas in a Glass Orange-Cinnamon liqueur, mocha truffles, and a spice cake with broiled coconut-pecan frosting and two jars of jam (for the host's visiting relatives). I have a rack of pork that I was planning for Christmas day but can't get anyone to join us so decided not to make 8 pork chops for just the two of us. Maybe I'll get him to take me out to eat tomorrow. Happy holidays! Celebrate every little thing! :hug:

[pinto]

8. Would you post the spice cake recipe? Any spice cake is tops, imo, always looking for new versions.

Thanks. Happy holidays! :hi:

[yellerpup]

9. At your service...

This recipe is from "Celebrate San Antonio," a cookbook my sister gave me maybe 20 years ago. This spice cake never loses it's moist texture and was requested by the host of the party (which was fabulous!) that we went to last night.

OATMEAL SPICE CAKE

Preheat oven to 350.

1-1/4 C. boiling water
1 C. oatmeal

In a heatproof bowl, pour boiling water over oatmeal and let stand for 20 minutes.

1/2 C. butter
1 C. white sugar
1 C. brown sugar
2 eggs (slightly beaten)

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add beaten eggs and mix thoroughly.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg thoroughly.

1-1/2 C. flour
1 Tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla

Add beaten eggs to creamed butter and sugar mixture. Gradually add in oatmeal and blend completely,

Gradually combine flour mixture to oatmeal mixture in the large bowl. When blended, add vanilla.

Bake in a greased/floured 9x13 inch baking dish, pour in batter and bake for 35-40 minutes.

While cake is baking, make:

BROILED PECAN ICING

1/2 C. canned milk
1 C. coconut
1 C. Pecans (I used 2 cups because I am a fiend for any kind of nuts)
3/4 C. sugar (I used raw sugar)
1/2 C. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

In a saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Spread on top of cake while hot. Broil in oven until brown. (And don't go far because it only takes a few minutes to burn pecans!)

Merry Christmas, Lucinda! :hug:

[Lucinda]

24. MMMM spicecake.

Merry Christmas darlin!

[Lucinda]

18. Christmas out can be fun!

Snowing really hard here...so we shall be staying home for certain. :) Happy Holidays schweetie!

[yellerpup]

32. We went to lunch yesterday at a new restaurant on Main St.

Redone to look like an Irish pub. Not a pub menu, though, and certainly not pub prices! OMG!!! They had fresh fois gras w/mushrooms in a port wine sauce on a slice of toasted, excellent bread. I also had the butternut squash-apple soup. All yummy, but an appetizer and a bowl of soup. Mr. Pup had the $14 hamburger. We got out for $75 ($15 was tip) but whoa--we won't be dropping in there for lunch again unless we hit the Lotto!

On the flip side, we were both still full when it came to dinnertime and so we made a big salad and heated up a dinner roll. Delish, and the perfect topper to guarantee sweet dreams. Not the usual holiday fare, but satisfying none the less.

Best of it all to you, Lucinda! :loveya:

[Lucinda]

36. Oooo I like the idea of the apple in the squash!

Sounds yummy. Sounds like a great day!

[yellerpup]

42. The squash and the apple were caramelized then

blended into a fine puree that was thinned, I think, with apple juice. The garnish was a micro dice of green apple. Really good!

[Lucinda]

It sounds perfect.

I think i'd love it.

[Lucinda]

46. dupe-a-roo

But I do think i'd love it. :P

[Tsiyu]

28. happy Winter Sparkly Time yellerpup!

I am going to make that spice cake...yum

Your dinner sounds divine...just like you :)


Now, have you had any Panettone? I just walked into the kitchen to confront the one I was given by an "adopted" daughter last night. Loison Classico. Made in Italy since 1938.





Did I mention I love Panettone more than anything?








Do I open it, and risk eating the whole thing?




Do I wait and share?















:dilemma:









happy Holidays to you and yours. yellerpup :hug:

[yellerpup]

33. The spice cake is really easy to make and I'm sure you

will enjoy it. Panettone is a ubiquitous treat in this little village that was 'remodeled' by Italian stone masons in the 1920s and '30s. Yes, it's a lovely treat. As for your dilemma--the Panettone is a gift to you. If you can fit it in you belly you can eat it all, but if you got one of those big ones you should definitely share! Keep paddlin', Tsiyu! (You may work up an appetite to match the challenge of eating a whole Panettone all by yourself. Happiest of holidays to you, my dear, and best of luck in the coming New Year! :loveya:

[Tsiyu]

50. OMG I am so stuffed it is ridiculous

So I tried to hold off by eating the Daelmans (since 1909) Caramel wafers with Nutella slathered on them. (My daughter remembered them from when I used to be head baker at an old 100 yr old Swiss bakery and they sold the Stroupi kind of caramel wafers. We would put them over our hot coffee cups to soften.)

Stroopwafel OMG you must have one if you've never...

http://www.daelmans-stroopwafel.blogspot.com/

My daughter found the Daelman's somewhere and OMG...but it still wasn't enough..

so I only had a slice.

But then daughter came over with adopted daughter and hubbie and their beautiful three-year-old daughter ( my grandbaby :) ) and they brought me a huge plate of food and I did indeed share the panettone. And there is still a bunch left.

I think I'm going to burst. Going out to start the car and throw more fresh hay to horses and maybe my tummy will recover.


:urp:

edit to add: hope all in C & B had a fulfilling holiday and sorry posted before I added link above

[tigereye]

54. my husband says his mom used to make pannetone in a

flower pot. Lovely.

[Tsiyu]

68. That would be nice

to behold.



Hope you are still enjoying the holidays tigereye. :)

[tigereye]

69. yes, not working much over the hols, so that's pretty cool!

Same to you! Hope to get out to the museum and see the Vatican Splendors this week sometime. Mostly enjoying just sitting around, eating goodies, chatting and reading! (and not much shoveling, since we missed the blizzard!) Whew.

[Tsiyu]

70. I'm cleaning house ...sort of...in between DU

One client wanted me to work today, and called this morning to say I'd have to hike a mile down a twisty - closed due to ice - mountain road to his off-grid home/office, then hike back up after work.

Uh...no way.

His office must be a disaster, I'm guessing. He ought to know better though. I hate driving that road, much less walking down it!

Glad you have some time off and enjoy the museum. :hi:

[hippywife]

45. Panettone is never, ever safe in this house.

My husband and I so love it. One of my favorite treats in the world. I usually buy two or three just for us. LOL

Enjoy! :hi:

[Tsiyu]

52. It's the most heavenly bread

I am bad about just ripping into the top to get a big hunk, and then it's over...

This one I actually sliced, so I am being unusually civilized :D


Hope the hippywife household has many Panettones about :hi:

[hippywife]

58. It truly is heavenly.

Oddly enough, I didn't have any this year. Gotta scale back on such things plus work was so busy the past couple of weeks, I didn't even think about getting one (or more! LOL) I should have tacked one on to one of my Amazon gift orders but I shipped those all direct.

Ah, well. Might have to make some one of these days. :hi:




And there is no rule about being civilized where panettone is concerned. Rip away! :rofl:

[Tsiyu]

59. Hey! Don't encourage me : )

What's left is still calling my name ..in low, sultry Italian :evilgrin:

Sorry you didn't get any. I would send you one if I could. They did have some decent $4 ones at the Dollar store :shrug:

If you ever make some, let us know how it turned out. It's quite the process, so I've been holding off trying for years. Hope you're cozy and happy.

Cheers! :toast:

[hippywife]

61. Hey! Who brought it up first? Huh? Huh? LOL

I was planning on making them the first year we were married but I got sick. So Bill made them and they came out very well. Now you can't get ahold of small metal coffee cans anymore so I'm going to have to order a special pan, and I'm not terribly excited about adding another piece of equipment to my already full kitchen. LOL

I do appreciate the offer, but I'm betting there are some left at Whole Foods. There were several left last year so I got to extend the season a little. ;)

:hi:

[Tsiyu]

62. You got me

hangs head, with a sideways glance toward the treat...

i want a post when you make them, also you could do one about Bill's if you haven't already.

Curious cooks want to know these things :smoke:

[hippywife]

63. He made those 13 years ago

so too late for a post coz I was sick in bed and didn't even supervise, so no details to share. But if I ever do make them, believe me, I'll be so ecstatic no one would be able to stop me from posting. :rofl:

[grasswire]

64. would a progresso soup can work?

I mourn the loss of coffee cans. They are so useful!

[auntAgonist]

7. Quiet times here. We will be 'just the two of us' this year

My husband just got out of hospital and isn't really well at all. We have postponed my Father's visit until we know how things are going to shake out. Ditto for my stepson.

I'll bake some chicken and mash some taters :)

We'll enjoy the quiet and be thankful for what we have.

Merry Christmas Lucinda!

aA
kesha

[Lucinda]

19. I hope he has a speedy recovery! I've spent many a birthday and holiday sick.

:(
It is HIGHLY overrated. I'm glad hes home for the holidays though. Quiet days a good days :)

[noamnety]

10. I'm going to the inlaws

Bringing a big salad with bacon ends baked in the oven, and made poptart dough today to bring for dessert. I'm doing a half batch of blueberry, half batch of nutella & apricot jam.

Some of the dough's being used in christmas eve dinner in the oven, stuffed with mozzarella, more of the bacon, and artichoke hearts.

UPDATE: it's in the oven but not baking because the pilot light blew out. We have raw dinner and the kitchen reeks of gas. :)

[Monique1]

11. I'm going to my daughters

and visit with her republic in-laws. I am taking a pumpkin cheese cake.

Today my immediate family came over - served a Mexican meal.

[Lucinda]

23. I do Mexican food a lot on holidays. It's a fav for me.

Hope you have a wonderful day! :)

[Lucinda]

20. Ack! Well as long as you don't blow up we'll call it a win?

I've never made homemade pop tarts...Hmmm...sounds like fun! And uhm.... Nutella anything is a win. :)

[eleny]

12. Today we went to see a few of our neighbors and tomorrow it's just hanging out

We're really trying to watch our diet. So instead of getting a ham to tempt us for many days, I picked up two large ham steaks. I'll bake those and we'll have veggies on the side. Not sure what they'll be yet but I have all sorts. Just enough leftovers for another meal on Sunday and that'll be that.

I baked raisin babka breads for neighbors and us. A plain sweet type bread made with an egg and some sugar. Also some sugar free oatmeal cookies which came out surprising well. So there's dessert.

It's so nice to see you back posting. Have a beautiful Christmas Day!

[Lucinda]

21. TY Eleny! I used to buy ham steaks a lot. Just enough to satisfy the urge

without mounds of leftovers to contend with.

I'm actually having leftovers today since it's just the two of us. And a very white Christmas. Woke up to a ton of snow. I made Bill brownies from scratch and a big meatloaf last night...I'll prolly stick to veggies today and eat light. I just feel better that way. Have a wonderful day!

[pengillian101]

13. I really f'd it up.

Slept all day.

[Lucinda]

22. Sleep works for me. I've been drugging myself with caffeine to stay awake lately.

I think my body has been trying to hibernate this winter. :(

[hippywife]

41. Sounds like a perfectly lovely way to pass the day to me. :0)

I hope you are feeling okay, Gilli. No need to let the pressure of the holiday ruin a perfectly lovely day long nap. :hi:

[pengillian101]

49. Hia, hon!

I am really feeling odd after all that seafood.

I never had a seafood reaction until a few years ag0 -- hives.

Now my cheekbones have swelled up so much into my eyesight, I can't read so much anymore. Goodnight and sweet dreams to all.

[hippywife]

60. I hope you are feeling better today, sweetie.

If not today then soon. Do you carry an epi pen with you?

:hug:

[MrMickeysMom]

14. This year's theme is "things I haven't made before"...

So, ahead of tomorrow, when we and company will just graze on goodies and food, I was out with my Webber, which is on its last leg (this was the farewell smoking ceremony).. I made some killer pork ribs, which I marinated for a day and a half. These turned out really good (gave neighbors some of it for Christmas present). I also made a great butternut squash soup that we had for Christmas Eve dinner. Dished it out in those Panera Sourdough bread bowls and garnished it with smoked cheese and sliced fried apples.

Snacked on the ribs before the soup earlier, and will have most of them tomorrow with some garlickly potatoes and brussel sprouts.

Cookies and apple tarts were made ahead of time.

The few pounds I took off before Christmas is what I'm getting for Christmas, aaahh... it's worth it.

[Lucinda]

25. LOL. A very practical Christmas present.

I'm going veggie today, so it should be pound-gainage-free for me!

Bill would be drolling over the smoked ribs. The soup sounds especially good to me. Snowing hard today. Perfect soup weather!

[Lugnut]

15. We did the fish thing here tonight.

Rather than doing the traditional seven fishes meal we did five. Squid, smelts, shrimp, cod and anchovies. The kids and their families were here. The great-grandkids mucked up the pasta with either shrimp or anchovies.

My daughter has planned and is cooking tomorrow's dinner. French onion soup, steak au poivre, some kind of potatoes and roasted asparagus are on the menu. I'm making peanut butter pie for dessert.

[Lucinda]

26. Sounds like a wonderful dinner. I've actually been steak hungry lately.

I'm going veggie, but every now and again a steak seems like an especially good thing. Hope its a wonderful day!

[cbayer]

30. Vichyssoise, slow roasted beef, yorkshire pudding, salad and apple pie!

Everyone have a blessed, peaceful and loving day!


:grouphug:

[Lucinda]

31. Yummy!

Have a wonderful day!

[butterfly77]

35. Ham..

Rump roast,stuffing,mac and cheese,potato salad,sweet potato pies,collard greens,and blackberry cobbler...

[Lucinda]

38. Mmmm....the cobbler and sweet potato pie are calling my name!

Yum. :)

[tigereye]

39. last night- paella - it was excellent!

husband used the translator on a Portuguese recipe, salmon with lemon and dill, greek salad and cranberry/apple pie. We also burned candles in our yule log on the table. Lovely.


Happy Holidays to you as well!

[Lucinda]

43. Uh Oh.

I never thought of using babelfish to translate authentic recipes.
I am doomed.
:rofl:

[tigereye]

51. he said it was a bit complicated- the recipe called for

"bowls" of rice and non-specific amounts of chicken broth- not very precise. But it turned out pretty well- he's really good at winging it.

[hippywife]

40. Hello, sweetie.

Really laid back here today. Just me in and Bill in the house and it's cold and very windy outside. The wind here just adds insult to injury on a chilly, overcast day like today.

I have some beef tenderloin marinating in the fridge, and I'm going to attempt Pommes Anna without a mando. Some Brussels sprouts and homemade semolina bread.

Got this in the oven at the moment:
http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/10/mollys-apple-tarte-tatin/

Well, sorta. I'm cheating and using a Pillsbury pre-made pie crust so I'm sure the results won't be as good. But I had it in the fridge leftover from when I needed to make a quick quiche after work last week when I didn't have much time or energy, so thought I might as well use it up.

Work was so busy this week that I was determined not to fight the crowds in the grocery the last few days and use what I already had in the house.

Wishing you all the best, doll, and I can't tell you how wonderful it is to have you back amongst us. Truly thankful for that, yep. :hug:

[Lucinda]

44. OMG carmelized apples? Yummmm.

I want.
Now.
Hope it's yummy!
I went really light today and just had my pearitos.

Bill had meatloaf, brownies and fried some potatoes. We are both geeking out and relaxing/reading today. No big food demands today.

I keep threatening to put a pan out and collect some snow for snow ice cream...but I haven't got the motivation yet. :P

And it's lovely to BE back. I missed you. :)

[hippywife]

47. Well, the crust didn't turn out, which I fully expected it would not.

But the filling is heavenly. What's not to enjoy about apples, brown sugar and butter heating to a big sticky plate of yum? Mmmmm!

I'm not teasing you, really I'm not. You know I would share anything I have with you, darlin'.

And the feeling is moochal. ;)

[Lucinda]

48. Evil evil woman!

I don't have an apple in the house. Grr. :P

I may have to nap in self defense. :)

[FreeState]

53. Ive been baking for weeks

Russian Tea Cakes
Pistachio Biscotti dipped in White Chocolate
Sugar Cookies
Gingerbread Cookies
Caramels (brown sugar)
Caramels dipped in chocolate with sea salt (creme caramels)
Peppermint bark
Almond Joys
Nuttele Hazelnut Chocolates (in a mold)
Lemon Tart

And today:
Rolls
Salmon
Mashed Potatoes
Green Bean Casserole
Cranberry Sauce (made with seedless red grapes and fresh cranberries)
Yams and Apples in a sweat butter sauce...

[hippywife]

56. Wow!

What a list! I bet it did take weeks to get it all done. Probably better than wearing yourself out over just a couple of days. :hi:

[Arkansas Granny]

55. I'm a little late to this thread, but we had a great dinner yesterday.

We usually cook way too much, so this year we pared the menu back considerable. We baked the usual ham, I made a 3 cheese potato casserole by request and my DIL made stir fried vegetables that were a perfect side dish. I had baked a pumpkin pie and a buttermilk pie. My daughter made a cheesecake and an apple pie. We did our cookie and candy orgy a couple of weeks ago to give for gifts and family treats.

The best part of the day was the company. We had 4 generations represented, service members who got to come home on leave and new babies celebrating their first Christmas.

[hippywife]

57. Sounds picture perfect, AG!

:D :hi:

[Arkansas Granny]

67. It was wonderful. A great time was had by all.

[grasswire]

65. sounds like a Norman Rockwell Christmas

I spent today cooking, too. Tomorrow the college freshman will be here and I promised his mom that I would feed him very well. Plus two of my favorite pre-schoolers will be here -- cousins to the college boy -- and their dad, who is one of my favorite people in the world.

So today I roasted a turkey and made gravy and stuffing for hot dinner sandwiches for the college boy's lunch. Also baked big chewy ginger cookies for him, and whole wheat banana bread, and I will make a big plate of deviled eggs (his favorite) and I saved a piece of coconut cream pie from Christmas dinner for him. I have a bag of stuff for him to take; he's staying with a buddy's family the rest of the week and I thought it would be nice for him to take some food there. Plum syrup from the garden, cornmeal-blueberry muffins, and a double batch of chex mix.

Food for the little kids: originally I thought it would be very fun to have a little holiday party with some punch and festive stuff. But then I learned that they both have doctor checkups later in the afternoon, so I guess I don't want to sugar them up for a meltdown. We'll have some greek yogurt with frozen berries, and they can take the cookies home for tomorrow. I plan to decorate the heck out of the little living room in the morning -- went to the dollar store and got lots of crazy christmas garlands and bells and stuff. We have presents and games.

So blessed we are. The ability to make memories for others, and to feed the ones we love -- priceless.

[Arkansas Granny]

66. That's what it's all about and, yes, it is priceless.

It's a gift from the heart.