Christmas Dinner '09

Oh Christmas dinner how I love you! Christmas dinner is hand down, the best meal I eat every year...well maybe not this year having eaten that un-freaking-believable meal at the Grapes for Humanity A Chocolate and Wine Fantasy...but still, Christmas dinner comes in a very close second this year. Every year we hold Christmas dinner at my house and invite all of our aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, boyfriends, and sometimes even more friends! My family's Christmas dinner is really special because everyone is involved in contributing to the meal. Pretty much every person who shows up to eat the meal must bring something to add to the Christmas spread. This year there was so much food that my fridge is still filled with enough leftovers to feed my family for the next week...and let me tell you, I don't mind at all!

For our Christmas dinner this year we served:

Caramelized Onion Brie in Puff Pastry

I made this!

Turkey with Cranberry Sauce (See recipes below!)

Thanks Mum and Dad

Stuffing

Thanks Oma

Ginger Ale Glazed Ham

Thanks Aunt Darlene

Spinach and Poppy Seed Salad with Almonds, fresh Strawberries and Mandarine Oranges

Thanks Mummy

Green Beans with Onions and Almonds

Thanks Aunt Darlene

Liver Kreplach and Challah Buns

Thanks Daddy

Scalloped Potatoes

Thanks Mummy

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Onions and Red Peppers

Thanks Aunt Nancy

Kasha

Thanks Baba and Zhada

Beet Salad

Thanks Oma

Spring Rolls

Thanks Mummy

Blueberry Cheesecake

Thanks Oma

Apple Crumble Pie

Thanks Mummy

Fruit Tray

Thanks Mummy

Raspberry Trifle

Thanks Uncle Ronnie

Full yet?

Roasted Turkey

Ingredients:

1 (around 18 pound) whole turkey

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

salt and freshly hand-ground pepper to season (I roughly hand grind mine using a mortar and pestle)

1 onion, quartered

2 stalks celery, cut into chunks

2 tsp dried sage

3 cloves of garlic, minced or pureed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325º F. Place rack in the lowest section of the oven.

2. Remove the turkey neck and giblets, rinse the turkey with cold water. Using paper towels, pat the inside and outside of the turkey dry.

3. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Fill cavity with the onion, celery and 1 tsp dried sage. Fold skin over neck cavity and close using metal skewers.

4. Rub the turkey with the butter and remaining 1 tsp dried sage, garlic, and season generously with salt and hand-ground pepper.

5. Roast in the oven for about 4 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the breast reads 175º. Baste turkey with the juices from the bottom of the roasting pan every 30 minutes.

6. Transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil, let rest for 20 minutes, carve and serve immediately with warm cranberry sauce.

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan mix sugar and water and boil for 5 minutes.

2. Add cranberries and boil gently until their skins begin to pop (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and serve warm over turkey.