AN EARLY CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER BLENDING TWO CULTURES

Combining traditions can be fun. Barb and I will spend our Christmas Eve dinner alone this year. So one daughter Sonya  and her husband hosted a family dinner last Sunday December 21 with everyone contributing some food items and fun. Two sauces- Sonya made the meat sauce with sausage while I made the seafood sauce. I also made the fresh homemade egg noodle pasta everyone loves. We do have to be careful with the seafood as one grandchild has a seafood and fish allergy. So the reason to combine the traditions. Chicken balls and sauce were brought by Natasha and Domi for the festive meal.

Lots of seafood too!

A festive table!

A variety of veggies such as peas, broccoli, as well as olives and other appetizers with dips. Of course, dessert for one and all. A cheesecake and apple cake!

Cookie decorating by the children.

A fun creative way to serve fruit to children!

So a dish with pasta with seafood sauce and meat sauce symbolizes the blend of both worlds, doesn't it. Have to love the Christmas season! Still more eating to go.

WHEN GRANPA CAN'T SLEEP

Thank heavens for all night Grocery Stores. While Barb was sleeping, a quick trip to Sobeys to buy our turkey for Christmas dinner that was on sale. We will be having fewer people at our Christmas table, but dinners the week of Christmas elsewhere.  So I did not need a big one- just 12 pounds. There will be lots of leftovers anyway as there are lots of other dishes. Yes, this morning I started a nice broth- chicken broth on the stove for a soup dish later today. With all the holiday eating, soup is a good filler and less calories. Besides I like soup so I eat it often. So with all the nocturnal activities, back to bed for an early morning nap while the soup simmers and Barb keeps an eye on it. I will need a trip to a good fish store to buy a few items for the Christmas Eve dinner- it will be just Barb and me this year. But it does not mean we can not have some wonderful seafood dishes like lobster and scallops! I need to review previous posts from other years on my dishes. There may be current readers that want some recipes for those easy dishes. My Christmas seafood appetizer gets readers year round!! Perhaps, I will make that soon as it is a simple dish and tasty!! Happy eating!

DECEMBER NEEDS SOUPS

So watching one's weight during the month of December is tough. But soups are a great way to get nutrition and fill up without all the calories.

So with ground beef made with one egg, some parsley and bread crumbs-salt and pepper to taste- rolled into little balls and fried- drain off the grease!

Escarole chopped, cleaned and lightly boiled- save a little of the water!

Good chicken stock made with a chicken leg, carrot, onion, celery stalk, parsley! Boil into the broth. When finished, add the ingredients together and you have soup for a meal.
Some Italians call it Wedding soup. My mother used to call it Sunday soup because it was the soup she made on Sunday. You can eat it any day of the week! I know I do!

CHRISTMAS COOKING NEEDS PLANNING

As the busy Christmas cooking season is around the corner, it takes planning to know when to buy the ingredients. For Italians, the Feast of the Seven Fishes is huge for Christmas Eve. I have written posts on these dishes and may revisit some over the next few weeks. Some fish items can be bought frozen but many need to be fresh. So knowing which fish market is best really helps. I will be thinking about what to give my two working daughters to help with the season too. Time for more soups that can be provided in "take out" containers to them. I get to cook. Barb gets to do all the other stuff that comes with Christmas. But she does get to eat to keep her energy going!!

A hearty December soup to start the week was good.