Good Friday Morning!!!

Hello everyone and happy Friday!!  Wow,  what a week..  did you know that we only have 15 days until Christmas!!  Arrgghhh..  I think I am starting to go into panic mode..  I don't think I have ever been this behind before..  ahh well..  things will get done and everyone will have a fabulous Christmas..  What does your Christmas menu look like..  Years ago I started a crazy tradition with my family,  before I started working all the time..  We have Christmas Eve dinner,  Christmas morning breakfast and Christmas dinner..  and I have tried to keep all those traditions going..   The menu for each goes sort of like this:

Christmas Eve Dinner

Stuffed Twice baked potatoes
Sauteed Mushrooms
Eggnog

Christmas Morning Breakfast

Sausage Balls
Bacon
Eggs
some type of bread or sweet roll..

Christmas Dinner

Ham
Baked Beans
Macaroni and Cheese
Green Bean Cassarole
Broccoli Rice Cassarole
Maple Brown Sugar Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Maple Glazed Carrots
Creamed Corn
Macaroni Salad
Rolls

The Christmas Eve Dinner of course is the easiest.  You can do it ahead of time and wrap and store in the fridge and just heat up that night..  I would get into it.. Candlelight,  good plates, my Christmas glasses..  then we would watch movies until time for the kids to go to bed and Santa to come..  :)


Twice Stuffed Baked Potatoes

I bake 1 large potato for each person
6 to 8 large potatoes baked
butter
salt and pepper
sour cream
cheddar cheese
bacon, cooked

Bake the potatoes and let sit out about 30 minutes before cutting them in half.  After you cut them in half,  scoop the flesh out,  leaving about 1/4 to 1/2 inch inside to make a solid shell.  Put the flesh in a big bowl and add butter, salt, pepper, sour cream, cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon.  Mix well and add back to the potato skins.   Top with more cheddar cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. 

Sauteed Mushrooms

1 to 2 pkgs white button or baby bella mushrooms
butter
olive oil
1 medium onion sliced
3 tsp garlic minced
Worcestershire sauce
pepper

slice mushrooms,  heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and add butter,  when the butter melts add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes,  add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and saute for about 15 to 20 minutes adding the Worcestershire sauce after the mushrooms have cooked for 10 to 15 minutes.. keep the heat on medium and stir often,  the mushrooms will get dark and yummy..  Add a little pepper to taste.. you don't need salt because of the sauce..

The Eggnog has to be made in advance and we don't have it now until Christmas morning...  it isn't like any other eggnog you have tasted.. my kids love it and it is good without any kind of alcohol..  but if you want alcohol,  you can add it..  lol..  spiced rum is probably the best to put in it..

Egg Nog

3 eggs, separated
2/3 cup sugar + 2 tbsp
1 pint heavy cream
2 pints milk
1 tsp vanilla
nutmeg

Beat egg yolks with 1/3 c sugar until creamy and buttery yellow.  Beat heavy cream with 2 Tbsp  of sugar and 1/2 stp vanilla until peaks form.  Beat egg whites with other 1/3 c sugar until stiff peaks form.  Fold the egg yolk mixture into the whipped cream and then fold in the egg whites.  Pour the 1 pints milk into the center of the mixture and add the other 1/2 tsp vanilla.  I use a large metal bowl for this.  Then cover with plastic wrap and put in the freezer.  Pull out of the freezer about 30 minutes to an hour before serving and add alcohol if desired and sprinkle top with nutmeg..  this is so yummy..  tastes like vanilla ice cream..