Served 6 people total.
Dinner served at 6:00 pm on December 24.
Breakfast served at 9:30 am on December 25.
Dinner
Smoked Salmon dip, a dip from Margaret, crackers
Smoked salmon dip here.
Pumpkin Stew, with Pork
[Margaret]
Salad with brussels sprouts and lemon dressing
See the recipe here. The recipe I began with can be found here. I used about 30 Brussels sprouts and half a large head of romaine. It was a perfect amount, all but 1 cup was eaten. The dressing needs a bit more something. Salt perhaps? There were a few complaints that the salad was difficult to eat, as the pieces were challenging to pick up with a fork.
Biscuits with butter and plum/lemon jam
Quick and Easy Cream Biscuit recipe in Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook on page 560. These are truly easy and very good. I used 100% whole wheat pastry flour with good success. They require a bit more liquid, but I just guessed and didn’t measure. Make two recipes.
The jam recipe is here, and was made with Italian Prune Plums (frozen) and the juice and peel of one lemon.
Lemon tart with whipped cream
Used the recipe in Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook on page 732. Make 1 recipe in a 9″ tart pan. 2017: I baked the tart a few minutes too long and the edges boiled. It marred the appearance a bit but did not seem to affect the consistency or taste. We think we would prefer it chilled rather than at room temperature.
The Classic Tart Dough recipe on page 730 is very good. Use 1 recipe for a 9″ tart pan. 2017: When gathering the dough together I did fraissage it as in Julia Child’s pie dough recipe. It produced a very smooth dough that was easy to work with. This is like a cookie crust and is perfect for the tart lemon filling. I baked the scraps of dough, rolled out and cut into shapes, with cinnamon and sugar sprinkled over the top. I baked them at 300° for about 15 minutes, and they were delicious … not too sweet, and crisp and tender at the same time.
Mincemeat Bars
Recipe here.
Breakfast
2017: Started morning prep at 7:30 am, with 1 – 2 helpers at all times. Very manageable. Frozen potatoes and frozen ham set out the evening before in the 60° garage. Dough for rolls was made the afternoon before, allowed to rise, punched down in the evening, and put in the refrigerator overnight. Dressing for fruit salad and cranberry filling for rolls made the day before and refrigerated.
2017 Fruit Salad with lime dressing
Used pineapple, red grapes, kiwi, oranges.
Pomegranate seeds and toasted slivered almonds on the side.
Honey lime dressing from Christmas Cookbook, served on the side.
Bacon? Sausage?
Depends on what is going in the Veggie Scramble
Cranberry rolls
Recipe in Christmas Cookbook. Make 1 recipe (12 rolls). Do not bake more than 2 pans at a time (6 rolls per pan).
Vegetable Scramble
Onions, mushrooms, broccoli, sweet potato, kale or spinach, bacon?, eggs, cheese, beets?
Coffee, orange juice
In 12-cup coffee maker, use as many beans as fit in electric coffee grinder. I used about 1 2/3 grinder full and the coffee was much too strong! Yikes.
Breakfast Photos
Dinner Photos
