Christmas dinner

I am actually copying my post from last Christmas as it appeared last year.  We are having the same dinner, for the same reasons!  If you were following blog last year, I apologize for the repetition but when you have found something you like, you might as well stick with it!   Post a comment to blog and share your favorite holiday meal.

When we were kids, my mom made turkey on Christmas.  At some point she decided that it was one thing to cook a turkey on Thanksgiving when that was the main event but she wanted something simpler for Christmas dinner so we could focus on Christmas.  We have Smithfield ham with homemade biscuits, oyster casserole, baked tomatoes and artichokes and sweet potatoes.  I’m serving salmon spread and cheeses first and finishing with a Buche de Noel that I ordered from a French bakery.  Here are the recipes for each item:

Salmon Spread

• 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• 8 oz smoked salmon
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp dill
• 1/4 tsp tabasco
• 1/4 cup chopped black olives

Mix all ingredients.  Press in a mound or a bowl for shape and chill.  Serve with crackers.

Biscuits

These are wonderful lightly buttered and stuffed with salty Smithfield ham.

• 2 cups flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup butter (softened)
• 2/3 cup milk

Sift together dry ingredients.  Cut in butter until dough is in coarse crumbs.  Add milk all at once.  Stir dough until just combined.  Knead on a lightly floured surface and roll to 1/2 inch thick.  Cut with a biscuit cutter and bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 450 for 10 – 12 minutes until golden brown.

Scalloped Oysters

• 2 pints oysters
• 3 cups oyster crackers
• 8 TB oyster liquor (drained from oysters)
• 1 cup melted butter
• 4 TB cream

Preheat oven to 450.  Drain oysters reserving liquor and wash oysters, checking for bits of shell.  Marinate crackers in melted butter.  Grease a shallow baking dish and layer crackers, oysters, crackers, oysters and crackers.  Pour reserved oyster liquor and cream over top.  Bake 30 minutes.

Spiced Sweet Potatoes

• 3 lbs sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 TB butter
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 4 TB cream
• 1/4 cup rum

Boil potatoes until soft.  Peel and mash.  Mash in butter and seasonings and put mixture in a casserole dish.  Bake in hot oven (you can put in with the oysters after the turkey comes out) for 15 – 30 minutes or until hot.  (Casserole can be made the day before and refrigerated – make sure to cook until hot.)

Baked tomatoes and artichokes

• 1 large can whole plum tomatoes (2 lbs, 3 oz)
• 1 can artichoke hearts (14 oz)
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 large or 2 small shallots, minced
• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 2 TB sugar

Preheat oven to 325.  Grease a shallow ceramic casserole.  Drain tomatoes and artichokes.  Rinse artichokes and drain.  Quarter artichoke hearts.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium low heat.  Saute onion and shallots until soft.  Add tomatoes, artichokes, basil and sugar and stir to combine.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Pour mixture into casserole dish and bake at 325 for about 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are hot.

Everything can be done ahead of time and we can enjoy our day.

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