Christmas

[lucy]

If I can swindle some from friends, I think we'll do venison. I have a great recipe which changes from year to year, depending how much wine I actually marinade the venison in and how much I drink while I make it. It calls for a gallon, but what's a fifth or two's difference....

What are some of your favorite holiday feasts.

If the venison doesn't materialize, I'll have leg of lamb...ditto the wine ;D

[Persephone]

Christmas is the only holiday when I actually have time to care that it's a holiday. I don't do main dishes because nobody else likes my idea of a main dish, but I go hogwild on party treats, cookies, dips, etc.

I'll share when I have more time to think about it.

I like to make a lot of real 'comfort food' around the Holidays. Then I dont' eat it, but my family sure likes it.

I make a tradition ham or turkey for the carnivors - but then I like to make stuffing without broth and onion gravy along with meat gravy for ME. ;)

I make both the mashed potatoes and the sweet potatoes as baked casserole 'puffs", the mashed I whip first with cream cheese, sour cream and egg whites, and the sweet with maple syrup, eggs, and butter.

I rarely use margarine as a subsitute. I have a killer recipe for rolls that come out as light as air and just a hint of sweetness and the dough can be made in the bread machine so all I have to do is form the balls, rise, and bake.

And I have just recently toyed with a cranberry crisp recipe instead of traditional cranberry sauce. It was okay but I may try a new cranberry mousse recipe for Xmas this year.

This year we may be having an old friend visit my parents who originally came from Lebanon and now has become a vegetarian so I have thought about some baked squash stuffed with cranberries and raisins.

I love planning these things. I like decorating for the holidays and having folks over. It will be at my house this year because I have the most room. But my mom and sis will be here early to help.

Also - I make at least two pumpkin-pecan pies w/ a variation of the crust that contains cream cheese. I hear they are good even though I dont' eat them.

Anyone have any brand new recipes they are going to try this year?