CHRISTmas Menu 09

This year our CHRISTmas dinner rocked. It was the first time I'd tried brining a turkey, and every.single.thing I made this year was from scratch. In past years I've always had a box or 3 (or 5 or 6) of something I could "just add XXX" to or open & pour/heat/slice. Since changing our eating habits in January of this year, it was a huge undertaking. I made the pumpkin pie almost a week before & popped it in the freezer. CHRISTmas Eve I made almost all my other dishes, so I could just pop things into the oven, crockpot or in a pan on the stovetop as needed.

Here is what we had (Please excuse the picture quality. I got a camcorder for CHRISTmas & decided to use that instead of my "real" still shot camera for these. The camcorder has no flash option):

Brined Turkey (We tried the traditional turkey this year)
Mashed potatoes
Cornbread Stuffing & Brussel Sprouts with Bacon & Onions

Corn
Sweet Potato Casserole
Cranberry Apple Orange Relish (Which I don't have a picture of)

Gravy (made with pan dripping & my homemade chicken stock)
Dinner rolls

I also made peppermint iced tea to drink &

pumpkin pie with oatmeal crust.
Friends brought deviled eggs from their own chickens, "puppy chow" (chex mix sort of thing) & blueberry baklava (YUM!!!).

I had a GREAT time cooking all this stuff. I can't wait to get a "real" turkey for next year. This year I just could not afford a pastured turkey. But next year I will.... somehow. Baby Steps.

Hope your CHRISTmas was blessed & that you were stuffed to the gills & beyond like we were!!

To be continued....

Blogging will resume after the new year.

Have a very Merry CHRISTmas & a happy new year!

Another fantastic giveaway at ASR

Check it out.

(And I'll get back to blogging soon, I promise)

Menu 12/6-12/12

Lunch ideas served with elderberry "juice":

• Cream of chicken soup & croutons, carrot sticks,
• Cheese, sourdough crackers, dried fruit
  
• Pasta with cheese & veggies
• Fried potatoes thins topped with chili & cheese

Sunday

B- Toasted Amish friendship bread with butter, fruit, orange juice
L/D- Potato soup, biscuits, fruit & veggie tray, iced chocolate hazelnut tea & elderberry "juice"
S- Carob brownies, carrot sticks & dip

Monday

B- Oatmeal with fruit, hot tea
D- Orange rosemary chicken, rice, salad, iced chocolate hazelnut tea
S- Sourdough bread with sweetened labneh, yoghurt parfaits

Tuesday

B- Oats sweetened with banana, hot carob drink
D- Broiled kabobs- beef, peppers, onions, tomatoes, squash, oven fries, sourdough bread, iced coconut chai
S- Trail mix, clementines

Wednesday

B- Eggs, fruit smoothies, hot tea
D- Deer steak, mashed potatoes, carrots cooked in broth, sourdough bread,
S- Banana ice "cream," hot butternut squash cocoa

Thursday

B- Waffles or pancakes, fruit topping, orange juice
D- Breakfast for dinner- eggs, bacon, pancakes, fruit salad
S- Mini pancakes dipped in sweetened yoghurt, apple slices

Friday

B- Hashbrown potatoes & carrot, hot tea
D- Finger foods- meatballs, cheese, fried potato thins, fruit & veggie tray, hot chicken bites
S- Pretzel sticks & cheese cubes, yoghurt parfaits

Saturday

B- Tortilla de patata, fruit smoothies
D- Tequila lime grilled chicken
S- black bean burger patties, peanut butter smoothies