AwesomeBites

Category: Christmas Dinner

Always I have loved Christmas. The joy of watching others open gifts. I preplan which gift should be opened first, second, etc. I find that the right order heightens a child’s. I try to have at least one thing for each person to open, even guests so they participate in the fun. Gifts range from a jar of homemade jellly or cookies to a beautiful red Christmas robe for grandma. I cook and serve a formal dinner buffet on Christmas Eve for my family. This is my gift from my heart to them. The tables have been decorated, the china and glassware is all used, and we sit down to enjoy our family.

Usually before dessert, we retire to the living room in front of a roaring fire and everyone crowds in to find a spot. The younger children gather near the tree on the floor. An older child is assigned the task of playing Santa, handing out the christmas gifts – finding the name tag, and distributing to the proper person. As soon as a few of the presents are distributed the unwrapping begins. It has been called chaotic, it does seem like the living room talking and chatting becomes noisy with laughter and “Thank Yous, kisses are blow across the room, and the next present is attacked. It doesn’t take long and the gift craze is over. With five children, two of which have children, and usually a couple of in-laws, and grandparents joining in, the air is filled with happiness. At this time, I usually ask someone to make coffee, and remind them of the pie and goodies on the sidebar.

It works. We started this tradition from the beginning because the two oldest children needed to be with their mother on Christmas Day. And now, with families of their own, they leave our home and ready their home for their morning celebration. This tradition works for us.
At times, we may save our personal gifts to open in the morning, and then we have the day to relax and enjoy.

Each year Dennis always asks me, “Are you sure you want to go through all that trouble?” I think of it as my gift to myself, and at the end of the day when we are hugging each person as they leave, I think to myself – “I love Christmas!”

  • Pearl Onions & Portabello Mushrooms

    First time I had this was New Year’s Eve dinner and dance at the Casino while in Avalon, Catalina 2008.

    Servings: 4-8 people

    Ingredients

    Olive Oil
    Salt & Pepper
    Pearl Onions – blanch and peel
    Portabello Mushrooms, ribs and stems removed. Cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces.

    Preparation

    Arrange one layer of onions and one layer of mushrooms on their own cookie sheet. Sprinkle with Olive Oil and season with Salt and Pepper.
    Roast until onions are carmelized and mushrooms are tender. 400 degree oven.
    Combine on a serving tray.
    Serve warm.

  • Roasted Carrots and Parsnips with White Balsamic

    This is simple and pleasing to the eye and good eats…

    2 1/4 pounds medium parsnips, trimmed, peeled, cut into 3 inch x 1/2 inch sticks.

    1 1/2 pounds of medium carrots trimmed and peeled.  (Cut into same size as parsnips.)

    Frankly, I like to choose the same size parsnips and carrots, leaving 1/2 inch tops on the carrots (nice presentation). 

    1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil. 

    2 T White Balsalmic Vinegar

    1 T Rosemary

    2 tsp coarse Kosher salt

    1 tsp ground black pepper

    Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Combine parsnips and carrots.  Add oil and remaining ingredients; toss to coat. Spread in even layer on baking sheet.   Roast until tender 50-60 minutes.

    Do ahead up to 1 day, refrigerate.  Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, then warm in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.

  • Pear Crostata with Figs and Honey

    Pears.  Pears and cardamom.  Have you discovered this amazing taste mixture?   I make a Pear Cardamom Butter and it flies off the pantry shelf. Never any left after a week.  Dennis will eat it on his pork, pour some on his pancakes, I saw him use it as salad dressing the other day with balsalmic vinegar.  (I’ll have to create a new recipe around that.) 

    I recently saw this Pear Crostata in a Bon Appetit magazine.  It uses the same rustic crust as my Apple Pie.  I love the unfussy look of these pies.  I couldn’t resist making this! 

    Filling:

    1/4 Cup golden brown sugar

    1/4 Cup granulated sugar

    2 T cornstarch

    1 tsp ground Cardamom

    1/4 tsp Cloves

    1/4 tsp Salt

    2 1/4 pounds firm but ripe unpeeled Anjou Pears (About 4 Cups), cut into eighths

    10 dried by moist Calimyrna Figs, stemmed and quartered (About 4 ounces)

    Heavy Whipping Cream (For brushing crust)

    Raw Sugar

    2 T Honey, I got mine from this Honey for Sale online

    Preheat oven 400 degrees.

    Mix together sugars, spices, cornstarch and salt.  Mix in figs and pears.  Let stand while you make pie crust.

    Roll out pie crust on parchment to help you move the Crostata to the baking dish. Crust should be at least 14 inches diameter or make two smaller pies.  Move parchment with pie crust to rimless baking dish (cookie sheet or pizza pan), or large round baking dish.  Mound the pear fig filling mixture on top of the crust, leaving a 3 inch border around the edges.  Using parchment paper fold over the dough up over the pear filling, pleating the edges, pinching to seal any cracks that form. 

    Brush crust  edges with cream and sprinkle generously with raw sugar. 

    Bake Crostata for 50-60 minutes until pears are tender and juices are bubbling thickly, cover crust with foil to prevent over browning. 

    Remove Crustata from oven, and drizzle filling with honey over hot filling.  Run knife along the edges of the baking pan to loosen.  Allow to cool on parchment on baking pan for 1 hour. Transfer to platter. Serve warm or room temperature.