Christmassachusetts

Gesundheit!

I spent a really nice Christmas weekend with my sister, brother-in-law and niece. Santa found us and how!

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Methinks the family’s next musician hath begun her training. In between playing with My Little Ponies, that is.

Man, oh man, did we have some tasty eats to go with all that Christmas spirit. Sister had my favorite holiday dishes in the works when I arrived on Christmas Eve.

The table was spread with cranberry sauce, olives (one for each fingertip), bread, gravy and wine…

But here is my true lover: Dad’s stuffing (minus the bird whose guts it is supposed to stuff). Sister did Dad’s recipe mighty proud! I enjoyed the leftovers two more times before going home on Sunday. :)

My BIL was the only one partaking of things meat-ish, so a lone chicken breast was baked for him. Us girls piled our plates high with the accoutrements: stuffing, green beans and mashed potatoes.

Not that I should have been surprised, but I managed to be hungry again in time for brunch after opening presents on Christmas morning. I concocted a shiny new strata recipe especially for the occasion, and I don’t think my hosts would disagree when I say it was a slam-dunk winner, despite it being a risky move on my part!

The cheesey goodness was a wonder to behold, along with its good friends, bacon and fruit. Be sure to check back here tomorrow for the strata recipe!

Don’t think I haven’t made good use of my stocking stuffers, though. Those Cracker Jacks made a lovely topper for Saturday morning’s oats.

If you ask me, stocking stuffers provide a unique opportunity for, ahem, “creative” spins on a usually healthy breakfast (aside from eating said stuffers straight from said stocking), but hey—there were whole grains and a banana underneath the Cracker Jacks, so it all evens out in the end.

And by “end” I mean cookies for breakfast-dessert, naturally.

Here’s hoping your holiday weekend was just as delicious as mine! Feel free to share a highlight or three. :)