Christmas Dinner

Christmas Eve actually. Since this is only our second year having Christmas on our own, we've had the freedom to do what we want for dinner. The Chinese and Pizza options crossed our minds a time or two, but it just wouldn't seem like Christmas without a homemade Christmas dinner. We've been eating our big meal on Christmas Eve. That way on Christmas we can snack on leftovers all day.
Our menu today is
Honey Glazed Ham
Mashed Potatoes
Stuffing
Green Bean Casserole
Corn
Carrot and Raisin Salad
Raspberry infused Pears
Rolls

For a homemade meal full of comfort foods, it really isn't much work. Everything is pretty much throw together and cook. Even my stuffing is simply Stove Top. Isn't that the best stuffing anyway? The Green Bean Casserole is in the fridge ready to pop in the oven, Ryan's whipped up his Carrot and Raisin Salad and I have the potatoes boiling and pears poaching almost ready for the raspberries to go into the sauce. Here's that recipe:

Poached Pears with Caramelized Sauce and Raspberries
(we usually serve this with dinner as a side dish, but it's also great for dessert)

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water, champagne, or dry wine or red wine (I've used champagne once, but I ususally just use water and it's yummy enough!)
• 1/2 vanilla bean or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 8 large firm-ripe Bose or Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and left whole with stem on (I always cut up the pears in halves or thick slices)
• 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

~in large sauce pan, deep enough so pears can stand up with lid on, mix sugar, water, vanilla, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil over high heat.
~reduce heat to low and add pears. cover pot and let simmer about 25 minutes, gently turning the pears once or twice to make sure they're coated with the sugar syrup. (I usually end up letting them simmer for more like an hour, the pears are done when they feel tender throughout when gently tested with a fork or sharp knife)
~remove from heat; if using frozen berries, add them to the sauce at this point. cover and let sit 5 minutes.
~remove the pears and the berries with a slotted spoon and place in a serving bowl or deep plate. Strain the syrup and pour over the top of the pears and let cool.
~refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
if using fresh berries, sprinkle them over the bears before serving.

Christmas Baking

I have two staples when it comes to Christmas Cookies...
Well, three if you count Sugar Cookies, which really everyone should. I hope everyone has good memories of baking and decorating sugar cookies when they were little. I've always loved sugar cookies... in theory. In reality, as an adult, I've never really enjoyed them. They're sticky and messy to make, and I've never found just the right cookie... most are either too crispy or too chewy. I have to say that PW herself has turned the whole sugar cookie experience around for me. If you don't know who I'm talking about, you should meet her here.
And then try her sugar cookies here. Awe. Some. Seriously one of the best cookies I've ever tasted. Hurry, make some before Christmas is over!!


Another really fun thing to do with sugar cookies... my kids had a blast making these for our neighbors last year: cut out graduated-sized star cookies, frost with green frosting and stack them to make a tree.
I made ours last year with the Pillsbury Funfetti Holiday Cake Mix, using the directions on the box for the cookies. Talk about simple cookies!! I had many people ask for that recipe saying they were the yummiest they'd ever tasted!! They couldn't believe it when I had to tell them it was from a cake mix!





Alright. On to my never-fail-to-put-me-in-the-Christmas-mood-must-haves...

Chocolate Crinkles
INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, mix together cocoa, white sugar, and vegetable oil. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the cocoa mixture. Cover dough, and chill for at least 4 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough into one inch balls. I like to use a number 50 size scoop. Coat each ball in confectioners' sugar before placing onto prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Let stand on the cookie sheet for a minute before transferring to wire racks to cool.

These are so yummy... like soft little brownies with just the tiniest bit of crunch on the outside with the delightful "snowy" sugar sweetness around them.
Tips: The dough is sticky. Be sure you refrigerate or freeze long enough to firm it up. I use a little scooper to drop the balls of dough right into the bowl of powdered sugar.












Then in the sugar, you can roll it easily and not ever have to deal with the stickiness.










Also, be sure and use parchment or a silpat as the powdered sugar will stick and burn to the bare pan.










Ta-da!!








Peppermint Bark
INGREDIENTS
white baking chocolate or almond bark
crushed candy canes or starlight mints

Simply melt the chocolate in a double boiler, then stir in crushed peppermint.










Spread the chocolate and peppermint thinly on a cookie sheet lined with foil.










Refrigerate for an hour and then remove from cookie sheet and break or cut into pieces. Store in airtight container at room temp.

You can also swirl white and dark/milk chocolate, or layer them by refrigerating just to set first layer and then adding a second layer.

menuless

I have been a total slacker on the meal planning the last few weeks. I looked at the date of my last post and I couldn't believe it's been that long. I did plan menus for a couple of weeks since then, they just haven't made their way onto the blog.
I made Lasagna Rolls today for a neighborhood Progressive Dinner this evening, and I've had a hankerin' for some meatloaf lately, so I'll probably whip that up this weekend sometime. That's about the extent of my menu planning as of late. I just have not been motivated to think about meals the last few weeks.

I think I might take a little holiday break from the meal planning here and use the next month to simply post some holiday favorites. Some main dishes, but mostly holiday goodies. And I'll be gearing up for our big New Year's Dinner, so watch for that menu coming up. That's a fun one!

So stay tuned and feel free to share some of your holiday favorites and traditions when it comes to the kitchen!!