Christmas Dinner 2010

I'm so excited to be having Christmas breakfast here in our new house with cousins and my aunt!  Then I'll be fixing dinner and we'll eat over at Cousin Kim's (she has the good Christmas china! hehehe)

Breakfast tomorrow: Mimosas with fresh squeezed Florida orange juice ... bacon, crispy and yummy, and the famous buttermilk pancakes that my Uncle Chris has made for over 50 years and the recipe is a family favorite!  And of course, Vermont maple syrup from one of my sugaring friends!

Dinner ... Prime rib roast --- just give me the bones and I'll be happy! lol!! with fresh horseradish sauce and freshly grated horseradish.  Then baked potatoes with sour cream and chives for those who want it -- for me, load that puppy with butter!!  Green beans with carmelized onions (introduced at Thanksgiving and appearing by request).

Green Beans with Carmelized Onions and Bacon

8 slices bacon chopped and cooked until crisp

2 large onions sliced thin and cooked in 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter, a bit of sale and coarse-ground pepper, covered for about 10 minutes until nice and tender, then remove the cover and continue cooking until the onions are golden in color -- like light caramel

1 1/2 - 2 lbs fresh green beans cooked in lightly salted water for about 8 minutes, until crisp tender

Drain the beans, add in the onions, 2 tablespoons water and a few tablespoons cider vinegar then stir in the crisp bacon.  Serve!!


Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This is the most awesome carrot cake ever!  A friend made it for my 30th birthday, so it's been around the block a few times for me lol!!  It is NOT for anyone worrying about cholesterol, that's for sure!  And the cake did win a blue ribbon at the State Fair!

2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 beaten eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla estract
2 cups freshly grated carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple drained

Combine flour, soda, salt and cinnamon.  Combine eggs, oil, milk, sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth.  Stir in flour mixture, pineapple, carrots and nuts (I add golden raisins instead of nuts).  Pour into 2 greased and floured 9" round pans and bake at 350 degrees 35-40 minutes.  Remove from oven and immediately spread with buttermilk glaze.  Cool in pans 15 minutes then remove to racks to cool completely.

Buttermilk Glaze

1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon light Karo syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all except vanilla in pan and bring to boil for 4 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Pour HOT over HOT cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup soft butter
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 teaspoons cream

Combine butter and cream cheese, beating until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and powdered sugar and crean.  Beat until smooth and spreadable.

I hope your dinner is as wonderful as ours -- and full of friends and family and good spirits!