Merry Christmas!

Twas the Night Before Christmas

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

~ by Clement Moore

Feliz Navidad!

Ham or turkey? After Christmas, like me, you just might be ready for something a little bit different. How about margaritas and fajitas? No kidding.  After all, the Mexican flag is red, white and green.

Okay, maybe chips and salsa  aren’t traditional holiday fare but how about holding an after Christmas get-together or New Year’s celebration? Or  planning a  family-only soiree that could include make your own tacos and a pinata for the kids?

The really good news is that if you need a holiday hiatus from cooking there’s no shortage of Mexican restaurants that can cater all or some of your party.  And nowadays pre-made, ready to pour margaritas exist on most grocery store shelves (though I can't vouch for the quality). 

This may even give me a chance to break out the recipe for  those sugar-powder covered wedding cookies I learned to love in high school Spanish.

The Day After Christmas - Just 364 Shopping Days Left!

Not every year, but more often than not, I manage to do a little post-
holiday shopping on the 26th of December.  Because while Black Friday shopping has never tempted me,  I do love the real bargains that exist right after Christmas.

So while I know it's not yet Christmas 2010, it might be time to think a little bit about an after Christmas strategy.  Because if you’re a planner, you can purchase not just some of next year’s Christmas gifts, but a birthday gift or two for the year to come. 

I try not to be overly ambitious and I generally limit my shopping to two or three stores.  I usually include Target on my list simply because of the wide variety and quality of merchandise.  A couple of years ago I purchased adorable pink flannel sheets for my niece for $5. Christmas pajamas, slippers and robes can often be found at a great price too. 

Gift wrap and Christmas cards can also be a a terrific deal so I try to include a gift/stationery store.  There  I  can usually find inexpensive gifts for teachers and others. If you have a dollar limit for gifts this can be a great time to get something significant but well within your budget. 

Next Christmas is coming, so if you have the energy, a place to store things (where you won’t forget about them), time to plan  and a few extra dollars, a little after Christmas shopping can definitely be in order.

An Easy Christmas Salad

If you’re making Christmas dinner or heading to a relative’s house for a celebration, here’s a tasty, fail-proof and abundant side dish  that I make every year.   It’s  festive-looking (think Christmas confetti) and delicious.

Object in photo is more delicious than it appears

Perhaps best of all, because it’s technically a relish, it can be made days (up to a week) ahead, kept in the refrigerator and enjoyed later. And though I don’t have any empirical evidence, I am guessing it’s a fairly low-cal and low-fat (though perhaps high sodium -  because of the canned vegetables) recipe.

You will need:

1 15 oz. can white corn - whole kernel
1 15 oz. can French-style green beans
1 8.5 oz can Leseur very young small peas
1 chopped green pepper*
1 cup chopped celery
1 small red onion, chopped (the one in the photo is not small, so I used < 1/2)
1 small jar chopped pimentos (optional)*

*I don't use pimentos and instead use 1/2 chopped green and 1/2 chopped red pepper

Drain juice from canned vegetables, chop remaining and mix all vegetables together in large bowl.

For the dressing, in another bowl mix together

1/2 c. sugar (I substitute Splenda and use a little less)
1/2 c. vinegar
1/2 c. oil (I use vegetable oil)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Combine vegetable mixture and dressing and refrigerate overnight.

P.S.  This is not going to be a cooking blog but I couldn't resist sharing these fool proof recipes the last two days.

A White Christmas - Updated

Today at the grocery store I stumbled upon what some might call "a dream* in a pouch."  I'm calling it "instant Christmas atmosphere."  Yes, today I found Snow in Seconds on the end cap of the beverage aisle.  The one gallon package was on sale and it looked like this:

Though I have never before seen it, the package tells me that it is "As Seen on TV" and is "ultra realistic fake snow" that is non-toxic, safe for kids, stays cold and can be used for indoor and outdoor decoration. 

So despite the fact that it will be about 50s degrees where we are, we'll be having a White Christmas*!

** It wasn't 50 degrees where we were for Christmas and when 12 inches of snow fell on Christmas Day (the first time since 1948 - and then it was less than an inch), I put away the Snow in Seconds.  How fun will it be when I  break this out in July?

Christmas Candy

When I posted about Christmas cookies and the success of my shortbread, my husband objected.  He said incredulously, "What about the Nut Clusters?"  So here, without fanfare, is the recipe for a candy that is super easy and very tasty (just ask my husband).

You will need

a large, microwave safe measuring cup
white bark coating
chocolate bark coating
salted peanuts
small (mine are 1.25 inch) foil (paper wouldn't be sturdy enough) baking cups

Using the microwave, I melt equal parts chocolate and white bark coating in a measuring cup (I use 4 cubes each). I start with one minute and then continue melting thirty seconds each time until it looks like this:

Add peanuts (as few or many as you like) and stir thoroughly.  Spoon into baking cups and allow to harden.  For easier cleanup, you might want to place the empty cups on wax or parchment paper before you begin. Unless you want  your countertop to look like this when you are done.

There is no need to refrigerate your completed candy, though I sometimes do.  I have also made these a week or two ahead of time and placed them in the freezer until needed. Enjoy!

A Special Birthday Celebration

Without fail we begin our Christmas morning with a small birthday celebration for the Reason for the Season.   This little cake

and a rousing version of “Happy Birthday to You” often sung out of tune but with enthusiasm, precedes the opening of any gifts or other activity.

Our cake is nothing fancy, almost always from  a box mix and, dare I say, frosting from a can. One year when I was pressed for time, I even bought a little cake.  Now that my daughter is older she often bakes the cake. We use this small 6 inch pan 

or sometimes this 6 inch heart-shaped one

But this little baby in a manger, 

Doesn't he have the sweetest smile?

 he's always on the cake, along with a single star shaped candle (the one in the photo above is from a box of Disney princess candles).  Sometimes we write Happy Birthday on the cake - but my piping skills leave a lot to be desired, so I've spared you that.  Birthday cake for breakfast and the Reason for the Season, what could be better than that?

Alleluia
O how the angels sang!
Alleluia
How it rang!
And the sky was bright
With a Holy light
'Twas the birthday of a King.
    ~ from the song, Birthday of a King