X-MAS 2009 CON'T

I thought I'd talk a little about our Christmas family dinner. Growing up our tradition was always a large breakfast and then a more simple dinner later that day. Our breakfast always consisted of pancakes (which dad only made on Christmas), eggs, sausage, bacon and sometimes homemade biscuits. However, I've noticed that our family traditions are changing somewhat and it may be just because I'm older now, but I think I like it even better. For the last several years breakfast is still a big to do but now we all pitch in for the afternoon dinner instead of it just being my parents preparing the food. Some of my favorite
Christmas memories over the last couple years have
been talking to my sisters about what everyone is going to make and being in the kitchen with my family. I think that this years dinner was particularly good, I'll try to remember each dish.

Breakfast:
French toast with french bread from Sugar Magnolia Bakery, sausage links and patties, bacon and fruit salad.

Dinner:
For starters we had a basic salad with Parmesan cheese and candied pecans, then for the main coarse corned beef(which was amazing!), acorn squash with pear stuffing and an orange juice sauce, asparagus with jalapeno hollandaise sauce, homemade cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, stewed apples and wild rice and mushroom soup. And to wash it down a glass of Pinot Noir.

Dessert:
My sister Stephanie made a custard but I'm not sure what kind and my niece Hannah and I made a Carrot Cake with a
cream cheese frosting. Hannah is allergic to dairy and most kinds of nuts so we made a special cake for her excluding the walnuts and cream cheese frosting. (see the little rectangular cake in the picture?) I must say that experience is often the best teacher because the first time I made this cake I did not let the cakes cool long enough or the frosting setup long enough so even though it tasted okay it looked like someone stood on the other side of the room and threw it onto the plate! This time it was much better but still not quite as nice as I would like and I think next time I'll add a little extra cinnamon.

















Nap time!!