MERRY CHRISTMAS

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I hope it’s been a good one. I imagine we were the only people on this side of the world that actually celebrated Christmas on Christmas Day. I may not have gotten to do this, maybe next year, but I had a spelendid Christmas. Wonderful pictures shall be forthcoming. It was great, and at times even relaxing. (No, that was not a joke) I had my children stay in their room till 9:30 so I could get up & get some Word, coffee & start on a nice Brunch of:

Maine Pumpkin bread
Cheese & Ham scones
Eggs, toast & sausages

My wonderful son Travster stayed asleep till 9:30 if you can believe it. Why can’t every day be Christmas day? We had devotions around the table with the kids & then delved into the presents. I am trying to remember why we got Travster a mike stand. It’s lethal no matter how he uses it. If it’s not a mike stand it’s a bass, if it’s not a bass it’s a sword/whipper-snapper, taiko sticks, machine gun, etc….Oh, well! The men-folk took the kids out of the house so I was left in the kitchen alone. (Nya ha ha ha, could it really be?? Shouldn’t there be a baby trying to yank off the oven knobs, or a small child cracking eggs on the countertop?)

What a relaxing Christmas cooking experience. And just incase I forgot the Lord loves me, he did even supply me with wonderful ingredients, my favorite fruit, 12 pears for 300Y. I tried a French Pear & almond Tart recipe with (get this) Apricot jam for the glaze. You will only understand this if you receive provisioned goods from the PC. I mean, it’s written right there, “Apricot Jam & Lemon Glaze”. Words fail me to describe this tart, I nearly ate the whole thing, just because I was doubting my own tastebuds, marveling the whole time. "Did I actually make this? Is it allowed to taste so good?" Mascarpone cheese (thank you Kari) and Espresso coffee & maker (thanks Mike & Aich) for Tiramisu. I just had a fun time in general with my unusually short menu:

-Turkey, (Niki I followed your good example & stuffed the turkey with an orange, pear, onion, 2 cloves of garlic, bunch of fresh rosemary, bay leaves & sage, thank you for teaching me the "way")
-stuffing (see recipe below)
- gravy
- raspberry sauce (it was a great substitute, since I could NOT find cranberries anywhere this year, not even COSTCO, and the color…..ahhh, don’t get me started on raspberries, I'm still polishing off the rest of it with my toast, wait till I get my hands on an ice cream, nya ha!)
- minuscule amount of potatoes for those white guys,
- cornbread,
- tomatoes & mozzarella salad,
- jello & punch for the kids,
- pear & raspberry cobbler,
- pear tart
- Tiramisu.

As for my favorite part of Christmas dinner it most definitely is the turkey sandwiches & turkey soup the day after. And if you haven’t had your Christmas dinner yet, here’s my stuffing recipe for you which I have decided is my favorite until I try out yours. The list of ingredient can be shortened by using either not both varieties of bread nuts & dried fruit. But please, please don’t nix the apples. Whether you’ve had Christmas dinner or not, Merry Christmas & a Happy New 2007

AL’S MESSED UP STUFFING:

2 c whole wheat bread
4 c white bread
1 c onion
¾ c celery (leaves & all)
2 ½ tsp sage
1 ½ tsp rosemary
½ tsp thyme
1 apple chopped
¼ c raisins
½ c dried cranberries
¾ c turkey broth or stock (can use chicken bullion)
¼ c pecans
¼ c walnuts

Toast the bread cubes in the oven for 10 min at 180c. Sauté the chopped onion & celery for 10 min. in butter, COVERED! Add apple & sauté for another 5. Toss all ingredients into bread cubes in a large bowl. Stuff turkey or bake, covered for 1 hr at 175c (or the same temp. as you’d cook your bird) And that’s it