Christmas 2016 Sunday Brunch

Blood Red Roses, Red Apples, and Christmas Red Berries, Pines, Center Piece

Menu

Espresso Coffee

Turkey Wrap and Rolls

Cranberry Sauce

Giant Purple Grapes

Mimosa

Turkey Wrap and Rolls with Cheddar Cheese and Cranberry Sauce

Andre Campaign and Tangerine Juice, Espresso Coffee

We all have so much to be thankful for, for Jesus is the reason for the season. For those of us with an empty nest, we can still celebrate by making breakfast as if we are entertaining guests. I’ve made a commitment to myself to put a place setting, with napkins, wine glass, candles, and make enough for whoever may drop by. Cheers 

• Wrap and Rolls (Turkey, Ham, Roast Beef, Cheddar, Swiss, Provolone Cheese, Herb and Garlic Spread, leaf romaine lettuce, sliced tomatoes, Spinach, Vegetable, Plain Wraps.)  Cherry tomatoes to garnish.
• Purple Giant Grapes
• Cranberry Sauce

A Mimosa is a cocktail composed of equal parts champagne and chilled citrus juice, usually orange juice unless otherwise specified. Instead of orange juice, I used tangerine juice from Mariano's fresh-squeezed. 

Main alcohol: Champagne

Ingredients: 2 1/2 oz (1 part) Orange juice, 2 1/2 oz (1 part) Champagne

Preparation: Ensure both ingredients are well chilled, then mix into the glass. Serve cold.

Served: Stirred not shaken

Standard garnish: Cherries, Strawberries, Grenadine

Drinkware: Champagne flute

Christmas Cookies a Tradition at Laurel Bobzien 2010

Laurel Bobzien Christmas Party on  December 19, 2010

Laurel used her mother’s antique cookie cutters, she had prepared at least six dozen cookies, all we had to do was spread the icing and decorate with sparkles, gold beads. This was a fun way to be creative and bring back some of the family traditions we often forget about during the Christmas season. Of course, we exchanged gifts, toasted great wines, and had tasty trays.

Buttery Sugar Cookies

Buttery sugar cookies are shaped then flattened with the bottom of a sugar-dipped glass.

Ingredients: •1 cup butter •2 cups granulated sugar •2 eggs, well beaten •2 tablespoons milk •1 teaspoon vanilla extract •3 cups flour •2 teaspoons baking powder •1/2 teaspoon salt •granulated sugar

Preparation: Cream butter; beat in sugar gradually. Add eggs, milk, and vanilla extract; stir to blend. Combine and sift flour, baking powder, and salt; add gradually to creamed mixture, mixing thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place 2" apart on greased baking sheet. Flatten with bottom of glass that's been greased and dipped in granulated sugar. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to racks immediately to cool.
Makes about 3 dozen Christmas cookies.

 

Claire, an Urban Xplorer hosted Sunday Dinner December 12, 2010

Kylan's Lemon Meringue Pie



Gioanna Stevenson holding Kylan's pie



Okay, the favorites are coming in; at the Stevenson's, this was the pie of the Thanksgiving dinner.

Ingredients

1 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups water

2 lemons, juiced and zested

2 tablespoons butter

4 egg yolks, beaten

1 (9 inches) pie crust, baked

4 egg whites

6 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.

3.To Make Meringue: In a large glass

4.Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown

 

Levelle's New Years African American Mexican Style Dinner

This dinner was simply unbelievable. Levelle is my younger brother, who loves to cook and cater holiday dinners for the family. This Christmas, he outdid himself with his special holiday cookies. He made two batches: one was an oatmeal, raisin, apple cinnamon cookie, and the other was a cranberry, almond oatmeal, which was huge, like a breakfast bar.

He also made his fabulous Cherry Cheese Cream Pie from scratch, and sweat potato pie, he has always been a baker.

But, what he really cooked for after New Year's dinner was his famous:

"Enchilada"

Spanish Rice

Chili Beans and Salsa dip

The salsa is the key. He cuts up his tomatoes and de-veins his jalapeno peppers and bell pepper, cilantro, green onion, white onion, garlic, cumin, paprika, and chili powder, with a twist of lime juice and vinegar. He adds this salsa to the meat and to the Spanish rice. He adds his cheeses (whatever is in the fridge), wraps them in corn tortilla shells, and tops them with more black olives. I waited all day long for this dinner because he got up early to get everything together and took his time to really chop the vegetables and cook his meat, make his sauce, and grate his cheeses before backing over two dozen enchilada for family and friends that may stopover.

He made dozens of cookies and passed them out to family and friends, a tradition he has done every year, forever.

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
1/2 pound (2 sticks) margarine or butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups Quaker Oats Quick or old-fashioned, uncooked
1 cup raisins
Add chopped apples
Family and friends in Fresno, California, love to go to Levelle's house for the holidays; he has made this a tradition for our nieces and nephews. They drive up to his house to experience a light show, which each year wins praise from the neighbors for the Christmas lights and reindeer themes. He has entertainment for the kids and movies for the adults going all day and night.

Leandra Lowe-Evans Kwanzaa/New Years party

The tradition I am doing my best to keep alive is our Kwanzaa/New Year's party - I wasn't going to do it this year, but I plan on being out of town...now putting together something small & last minute - the recipe: Gumbo!!

Leandra has hosted the family Kwanzaa Dinner for almost a decade. She goes all out and spares no expense for her neighborhood block party in Stockton, California. She has games, prizes, art activities, food, conversation, music, and Deejays spinning music for young adults & teenagers.

This party also celebrates Nano's birthday on the 31st of December. Minnie Pearl is in her 80s and is out on the dance floor with her great-grands, having so much fun. That was two years ago when I attended. Yes, Gumbo is the main course meal. Leandra spares no expense when she puts her traditional Gumbo pot together.

Big Mama Memory Quilt, 2012 Grandmother Nine Patch, repurposed fabric.