We Smelled It ... It Had To Be Eaten! Christmas Eve Food Porn posts #1170 & #1171!!

[whogirl'smom]

Brenda, thanks for the asparagus recipe! I think that's just the ticket esp. if it's portable. My mind isn't very imaginative right now which is bad, because I have five places to cook for this week (not counting the brunch I made at my parents' today for my dad's cousin's visit.) So, I have to share the recipe for the sausage cheese bake I made; we had it at the Gov. Inn in Charleston and I liked it so much I bought the cook book!

Sausage Cheese Bake

1 lb. bulk sausage ------ 3/4 cup of milk
1 large onion, finely chopped ------ 1/4 cup oil
2 cups grated sharp cheddar ------ 1 can cream style corn
1 1/2 cups self-rising cornmeal mix ------ 2 eggs

Brown sausage and onion in skillet until sausage is crumbled and done; drain off fat. Let cool slightly and add cheese. In a bowl, combine cornmeal, eggs, milk and corn. Grease a 2 quart casserole (I used a 8x11 pyrex dish). Layer half the cornmeal mixture, then cover with the sausage and cheese. Pour the rest of the cornmeal mixture on top and bake at 425 for 30 minutes till slightly brown. Serve with sour cream. (I also made a mix of petite diced tomatoes, black beans and cumin to spoon on the side). A side of mixed fruit/fruit salad goes well with this, too.

This is good for any meal.

My mom asked me to pick up some brandy yesterday, so I think I'm going to try Brenda's brandy milk punch tomorrow evening at my parents' house!

 

[D&R love Disney]

19 pages later I'm finally caught up You'd think it was the holidays or something

Great reviews and pictures, especially the PFTS!

Looking forward to the beef tenderloin recipe and what about the aranchini? Do you make that from scratch?

I had a couple of the grand margarita's from the pool bar at SSR and they get a big We enjoyed the resort, we were in Congress Park. I did pack 2 bowls and plates We did have glasses and mugs though. Busses were slow, good thing for the rental car as we drove all over the place this trip!

 

[TigerKat]

Brenda - The 'goose recipe looks great, can't wait to try it!

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

I've finished all my chores except for washing the dishes and the stuff I was supposed to review for work. BUT ... I have managed to work out our holidays menus so I thought I'd share them with ya here!

Christmas Eve

Jay and I both have to work on Wednesday so we're keeping the evening to ourselves (we tried inviting Jay's parents over for dinner but they said they have to go to Church instead ... wow ... I had no idea being around us was a sin ... ).

Our dinner will be:

sushi
brie topped with raspberry jam baked inside puff pastry
spinach salad
various chocolates (we are bursting at the seams with chocolate this year)
some kind of tasty beverage(s).

Christmas Day

For breakfast we'll be indulging in brandy milk punch and fresh croissants (thank you Williams Sonoma).

Dinner and snackable include the following:

Beef tenderloin stuffed with goat cheese
arancini stuffed with more cheese
several yummy artisan cheeses with bread and other accompaniments
asparagoose
bird rolls (thanks Jon - this time he's making a double batch!)
cheesecake ice cream
spiced gingerbread cake
eggnog bread
chocolate dominoes filled with caramel

more tasty beverage(s) as yet to be determined.

I even know what we're doing for New Year's Eve and hopefully for brunch on New Year's Day, but one week at a time!

I will post the food porn on the blog this time and will let everyone know when it's ready ... probably some time on Friday because I have that day off from work!

Happy Holidays to everyone!!!

I *love* your christmas menus and thought I'd share mine

CHRISTMAS EVE
- Smoked Salmon with traditional accompaniments (cream cheese, capers, red onion & lemon)
- Shrimp Pastries (baby shrimp surrounded in pastry and rolled in parmesan cheese)
- Swedish meatballs
- Cheese Platter featuring
> Tete de Moine (ie the cheese at PFTS that used the cool wheel cutter and shaved the cheese into rosebud like shapes)
> Asiago
> Parmigiano reggiano
> Old Amsterdam Aged Gouda
> Soft unripened Goat Cheese
- Prosciutto, Dijon, & Parmesan Puff Pastry Pinwheels
- Potato Pancakes with Sour Cream
- Crudites
- Chocolate Truffle Yule Log
- Homemade Shortbread, Gingerbread & Assorted Christmas Cookies

We have done appetizers for dinner on both Christmas Eve & New Years Eve for the past few years I'll be sure to take some pics

 

[oybolshoi]

Brenda, thanks for the asparagus recipe! I think that's just the ticket esp. if it's portable. My mind isn't very imaginative right now which is bad, because I have five places to cook for this week (not counting the brunch I made at my parents' today for my dad's cousin's visit.) So, I have to share the recipe for the sausage cheese bake I made; we had it at the Gov. Inn in Charleston and I liked it so much I bought the cook book!

I think it's very easy to transport, especially if your pan has handles. I hope you like it!

Sausage Cheese Bake

1 lb. bulk sausage ------ 3/4 cup of milk
1 large onion, finely chopped ------ 1/4 cup oil
2 cups grated sharp cheddar ------ 1 can cream style corn
1 1/2 cups self-rising cornmeal mix ------ 2 eggs

Brown sausage and onion in skillet until sausage is crumbled and done; drain off fat. Let cool slightly and add cheese. In a bowl, combine cornmeal, eggs, milk and corn. Grease a 2 quart casserole (I used a 8x11 pyrex dish). Layer half the cornmeal mixture, then cover with the sausage and cheese. Pour the rest of the cornmeal mixture on top and bake at 425 for 30 minutes till slightly brown. Serve with sour cream. (I also made a mix of petite diced tomatoes, black beans and cumin to spoon on the side). A side of mixed fruit/fruit salad goes well with this, too.

This is good for any meal.

My mom asked me to pick up some brandy yesterday, so I think I'm going to try Brenda's brandy milk punch tomorrow evening at my parents' house!

Mmmm, your recipe sounds like something that Jay would like for sure.

And let me know what you think of the milk punch ... we're making ours tomorrow night, too!

19 pages later I'm finally caught up You'd think it was the holidays or something

Great reviews and pictures, especially the PFTS!

Looking forward to the beef tenderloin recipe and what about the aranchini? Do you make that from scratch?

I had a couple of the grand margarita's from the pool bar at SSR and they get a big We enjoyed the resort, we were in Congress Park. I did pack 2 bowls and plates We did have glasses and mugs though. Busses were slow, good thing for the rental car as we drove all over the place this trip!

Hey Deb! Glad to hear you had a good time at SSR and that the Grand Margarita didn't disappoint. As for the arancini ... there's no way on gawd's green earth that you'd catch me making those babies! I ordered them from Dean and Deluca ... I'm a lazy cook!

Brenda - The 'goose recipe looks great, can't wait to try it!

Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

I *love* your christmas menus and thought I'd share mine

CHRISTMAS EVE
- Smoked Salmon with traditional accompaniments (cream cheese, capers, red onion & lemon)
- Shrimp Pastries (baby shrimp surrounded in pastry and rolled in parmesan cheese)
- Swedish meatballs
- Cheese Platter featuring
> Tete de Moine (ie the cheese at PFTS that used the cool wheel cutter and shaved the cheese into rosebud like shapes)
> Asiago
> Parmigiano reggiano
> Old Amsterdam Aged Gouda
> Soft unripened Goat Cheese
- Prosciutto, Dijon, & Parmesan Puff Pastry Pinwheels
- Potato Pancakes with Sour Cream
- Crudites
- Chocolate Truffle Yule Log
- Homemade Shortbread, Gingerbread & Assorted Christmas Cookies

We have done appetizers for dinner on both Christmas Eve & New Years Eve for the past few years I'll be sure to take some pics

Your menus sound yummy! Please do take pics and feel free to post them here if you'd like. I don't mind and hopefully the mods don't either.

 

[oybolshoi]

Here be the recipe for the tenderloin we're making for Christmas dinner. There is supposed to be a port wine sauce that goes with it, but we suck at making sauces and I seem to have mislayed that portion of the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 beef tenderloin (2 1/2 - 3 pounds)
1 cup walnuts (optional ... we never add them)
1 log (6 ounces) goat cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
4 teaspoons herbes de Provence (divided)
1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper

Directions:

Trim excess fat and silver skin from beef. Cut a large pocket along the length of beef to within 1/2 inch of each end and opposite side (be careful not to cut all the way through).

In the work bowl of a food processer, pulse the walnuts (if you use them) to chop coarsely, Add the goat cheese, garlic, and 1 teaspoon of the herbs - pulse to combine (it will be thick and sticky but trust me when I tell you that it's tasty).

Spread the cheese mixture in the beef pocket and then tie the tenderloin together with kitchen twine to keep it from falling apart while it cooks. **This may be covered and refrigerated overnight - if you do so let the meat stand at room temperature for ten minutes before roasting.**

In a small bowl, combine the remaining herbs, salt, and pepper. Rub the mixture over the surface of the meat and then place in a shallow roasting pan.

Roast in 425 degree oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until thermometer inserted in the center of the meat registers 140 degrees for medium-rare. Remove roast from pan and loosely cover with foil. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting into 1-inch thick slices and serve with a port wine sauce (if you can find a recipe for one ... ).

Enjoy!!

 

[BoosGram]

Hey everyone,

Thanks so much for sharing all the wonderful recipes and menus; you are certainly inspiring me to think about trying new things. DH and I love trying new foods, but DDs not so much . How they came from the 2 of us I don't know sometimes.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and healthy new year.

 

[oybolshoi]

Hey everyone,

Thanks so much for sharing all the wonderful recipes and menus; you are certainly inspiring me to think about trying new things. DH and I love trying new foods, but DDs not so much . How they came from the 2 of us I don't know sometimes.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and healthy new year.

Have a great holiday yourself!

 

[oybolshoi]

Here is the recipe for those lovely little bird rolls that Jon made for Thanksgiving that so many of you wanted the recipe for. I copied it directly from his email - the recipe was handed down from his mother who passed away a few years ago.

Pigeon Rolls


Dough: Dissolve 1 crumbled yeast cake in 1 pint of lukewarm milk, add 6 Tbsp. sugar, 2 tsp. salt, 2 eggs, beaten, and 3 c. flour; beat until smooth and elastic. Beat in ¼ lb. butter, melted and cooled. Add 3 c. flour and work in well with both hands. Turn to lightly floured board, cover and let rest 10 min. Knead until smooth, elastic; cover and let rise in warm place until double in bulk.

Roll dough to ½-inch thickness and cut into ropes 9 inches long, ½ inch thick. Tie each rope into a loose knot, one end shorter than the the other. Pinch short end to resemble bird's head with beak; flatten long end and fringe with scissors. Place on greased pan, allow to double on bulk. Brush with beaten eggs; bake at 400 °F 15-20 minutes. Add two whole cloves for eyes.

Notes from the Mad Scientist:
1. I use Rapid-Rise yeast and add it to the dry ingredients. An alternative for the sugar and salt addition, see 2.
2. Warm the milk on low and add the stick of butter. When the butter is melted, the milk should be warm enough to add. The sugar and salt could be dissolved here as well.
3. Even with six cups of flour the dough can still be quite sticky. Well-floured hands and enough added flour on the kneading surface will get it so it can be easily kneaded.
4. To make the birds, I flatten one side of the dough ball to a half-inch or so thickness and begin cutting of the ropes, cutting off a half-inch or so width. This is cut into 3-4 sections. I then roll the ropes between my hands, or on the work surface to make them round before tying. I continue flattening, and cutting, and tying as the birds are made. When a pan is full I begin baking while the remainder of the birds are being made.

 

[oybolshoi]

Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Kare-Free Kwanza, and Wonderful Winter Solstice! I hope each and every one of you has a joyful holiday(s) with tasty food, cheerful company, good health, and much love from friends and family.

 

[whogirl'smom]

Brenda, can we please crash your party on Christmas Day? I just found out last night that we are not having a "meal" at MIL's, but SIL is making her famous ham in a crock pot (that turns brown with all the brown sugar and pineapple) for sandwiches. Dh said he would bring some sherry, to which MIL replied, "Please respect your BIL and leave your wine at home." BIL is a preacher.

DH said he is sneaking in a flask....

Everybody have a wonderful Christmas if I'm not back over here today!

 

[oybolshoi]

Brenda, can we please crash your party on Christmas Day? I just found out last night that we are not having a "meal" at MIL's, but SIL is making her famous ham in a crock pot (that turns brown with all the brown sugar and pineapple) for sandwiches. Dh said he would bring some sherry, to which MIL replied, "Please respect your BIL and leave your wine at home." BIL is a preacher.

DH said he is sneaking in a flask....

Everybody have a wonderful Christmas if I'm not back over here today!

Come on over ... we'll have plenty to go around and I made a double batch of milk punch last night. If I didn't have to drive into the office today while it dumps rain I'd be drinking it right now.

A flask ... that's awesome! Fill it well my friend ... fill it well.

 

[D&R love Disney]

Thanks for the recipes. I think the tenderloin recipe will be perfect for New Years Eve dinner I am totally with you on the arancini and getting them from a good source. I love the bird rolls and as much as I love to bake I just haven't got the touch with bread. King Arthur Flour in Vermont offers bread baking classes and my Mom and I might take one or two this winter.

Have a Merry Christmas and enjoy all the "Good Eats"!

 

[Briarmom]

Merry Christmas Bendage!

 

[DisneyMom5]

Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Kare-Free Kwanza, and Wonderful Winter Solstice! I hope each and every one of you has a joyful holiday(s) with tasty food, cheerful company, good health, and much love from friends and family.

And Festivus for the Rest of Us? LOL

Merry Christmas Everyone!

 

[winkers]

Thanks for the recipes! Those asparagus bundles sound yummy. I'm now having to question my resolve to not go to any stores today.

 

[oybolshoi]

Ahhhhhhh.

The cheesecake ice cream is freezing as I type. The eggnog bread is already made. The gingerbread cake is baking ... Jay is marinating the tenderloin ... and I'm getting ready to bake that wheel of brie with some raspberry preserves.

We've already had some sushi tonight with some really tasty sake - not the sake we wanted, but still good.

The fireplace is crackling cheerfully and the lights on our tree are twinkling and A Christmas Story is playing on the idiot box. Does life get any better?

I'm taking lots of pictures again to share the food love! I hope you all have a lovely holiday!

 

[kbmaggs]

Brenda,
Your beef tenderloin recipe sounds delicious..... is that the time per pound or for the whole stinkin' thing??? I would love to make this.....

 

[oybolshoi]

Brenda,
Your beef tenderloin recipe sounds delicious..... is that the time per pound or for the whole stinkin' thing??? I would love to make this.....

I don't actually know ...

We usually just monitor it by visual appearance and the meat thermometer ... but if we had to guess we'd say about two hours for a medium rare tenderloin, give or take depending on your oven.

Merry Christmas!

 

[TigerKat]

Merry Christmas to you both! Hoping your day is full of joy, love and especially good eats.

We're watching the WDW Christmas parade!