Don't Throw That Christmas Card Out Just Yet!!

It's been a busy holiday season not for the obvious reason but because we were, we are crazy enough to have moved to a new home.  We closed a week before Christmas and spent the following week packing and moving and packing and moving, etc.,  Needless to say, our Christmas this year was not at all normal.  Our daughter kept joking around that we were going to be that family in the movie, The Christmas Story, and go eat Chinese food on Christmas eve.  Anyway, I am so weary and at this point though, I can't remember what we did on Christmas eve besides go to church. 


I believe I got this idea from Focus on the Family many years ago as we have been doing this ever since and consider it a family tradition.  But just before you throw those cards away, hold onto them, place them in a container (because of the move, I can't find the cute container I usually put them in - a red sleigh) and place the container in a prominent place where you and your family gather together to pray.  We have always done it during our family dinner.   All you do is pull a card and pray for that person or family.  They can also be a topic of conversation, you can reminisce about the times you spent with this particular person/family.  You can also go as far as to send a note to this person/family to let them know that they were thought of and prayed for.


So, don't throw that card out just yet!!  You've got some praying to do :)


Happy New Year!

I've shared this with:

Asparagus with Romano Cheese by Ina Garten

INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch fresh asparagus
Olive oil
1/2 - 3/4 cup fresh Romano Cheese (or Parmesan), shredded
Kosher salt


Set oven broiler on high

Spread the asparagus across a cookie sheet

Drizzle with olive oil

Sprinkle with salt and then the cheese.  

Place in oven, under broiler for about 5 minutes keeping close watch (do not walk away) as it's easy to burn these if you're not careful.  Once the cheese starts to brown, they're ready to take out.  If they're not browned after 5 minutes, add a minute at a time until they're browned.  Voila!  They're done!  It's as simple as that!  Enjoy!  

I have always loved asparagus but it's been tough to get hubby.  He did eat some tonight but he only ate the tips, so I guess you can say we're making progress ;)  ~isavortheweekend

FRIZZANTE AND GOBLETS

This fizzy stuff is awesome.  It's a European Soda and we can only find and buy it at Wegmans stores, in No. Virginia.  We usually buy them for special occasions just like we sometimes do with sparkling cider (yes, they're non-alcoholic).  This flavor is Cranberry Lime but my favorite one that we still have in the refrigerator is Blood Orange.

I am so proud of these goblets.  They have a beautiful glass sketched snowscape topped with a gold ring around the rim.  Whether it's real gold or not I don't know.  I've had them for at least 10 years, started out with around 12 and now have 8 :(  and you'll never guess where I got them?  I bought them at Arby's.  Yes, the fast food chain restaurant where they sell the best roast beef sandwiches.  All I needed to do was buy a meal or a sandwich at Arby's and then I could buy one these gorgeous goblets for only .99 cents.  I fell in love with them and made many a trip to Arby's to have a collection.  They also sold a smaller, around 6 oz. tumbler with the same snowscape and gold rim.  I bought around six of them but couldn't find them in time for this Christmas.  Anyway, I love these goblets and I always look forward to bringing them out for the holidays.  It breaks my heart to put them back in storage but am glad that I didn't break one this past season.  isavortheweekend

RED VELVET CAKE

by Pioneer Woman

INGREDIENTS:
Red Velvet Cake
1 cup shortening
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/4 tsps. salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk*
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsps. vinegar
1 oz. red food coloring
1 1/2 tsps. cocoa powder


Cream Cheese Icing
1 1/2 8 oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 stick (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 lbs. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsps. pure vanilla extract


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray two round 10" cake pans (preferably 2" deep) with non-stick spray.

Blend together the shortening and sugar.  Set aside.  Sift together the flour and salt.  Set aside. Mix the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, baking soda, and vinegar in a separate bowl.

Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the shortening mixture in the mixing bowl, mixing after each addition.  In a small bowl, mix the red food coloring and cocoa powder.

Pour into the mixing bowl.

Mix until just combined.  Don't overbeat

Pour the batter evenly into the cake pans and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out  clean.  Allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before removing the cakes from the pans.  Cool completely before icing.

ICING:

Place the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl and whip until smooth.  Sift the powdered sugar and add it to the bowl.  Add the salt and mix.  Add the vanilla and mix until smooth.  I completely forgot to take pictures of making the icing.  It happened so fast because it's really quick and simple to make.

Place one layer face down on cake plate.

Plop a large spoonful of icing in the center of the layer.  Using an offset spatula, spread one-third of the icing evenly on top of one layer, making sure to get the icing all the way to the edges.

Place the other cake layer on top, face down.  (As you can see, I didn't follow directions, I didn't spread the icing on the first layer all the way to the ends).

Ice the top.

And ice the sides with the remaining icing, being careful not to loosen crumbs as you go (yeah right, that's a challenge!)

Refrigerate the cake for 20 minutes before cutting and serving to keep the icing soft yet firm.

This cake was really hard to cut into because it looked so pretty all dressed up in icing but to show the beautiful red color on the inside made it all worth it.  This cake was a hit!  The cream cheese icing was so good, I think I'll use it on every cake I make from now on!  ~isavortheweekend

Pineapple-Mango Salsa

by Pioneer Woman

INGREDIENTS:
1 fresh pineapple
1 mango (not too hard but not mushy)
1 jalapeno
1 lime
1 bunch cilantro
Kosher salt

Cut the top off the pineapple

Trim the sides off

Cut three wedges at a time

Slice the wedges

Cut the slices across the wedges and start dicing.  Place in a bowl

I had to skip the whole mango pictures and all because it seems I bought one that looked really bad.  It was firm and felt right but as soon as I started cutting into it, it looked bruised in different places and the color was dark and splotchy, I tasted it and there was no "mango" flavor to it at all.  In my opinion, it looked like it had been frozen much longer than it should have been hence the discoloration and no flavor.  I don't know but Pioneer Woman says that if we couldn't find a mango, using just the pineapple would be fine too, so that's what I had to end up doing.  Now, onto the next step....

Cut the onion in half and start slicing

and dicing.  Place in same bowl with pineapple.

Cut the jalapeno in quarters and if you don't want the veins and seeds (because they're a lot hotter), go ahead and trim them off like I did.

and start dicing them up and place in bowl

Cut off about 1 cup of cilantro and chop it up, place in bowl

Cut the lime in half and ream the limes, place in bowl

Squeeze the lime juice into the pineapple mixture

 Add a sprinkle or two of kosher salt, mix everything together until well blended

I made this on New Year's Eve night, the night before our family Christmas/Holiday get together. I  wanted all the ingredients in the salsa to sit all night and blend or "marry" each other just so that it will taste much better.  We'll see how everyone likes it ....or not.  I'll keep you posted.  :)  ~isavortheweekend

Classic Pot Roast with garlic-thyme gravy

by Chef Elise and Cuisine at Home Specials magazine - Slow Cooker Menus

INGREDIENTS:
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 3-4 lb. boneless chuck roast, trimmed, seasoned with salt and pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2  cups low-sodium beef broth
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 cups sliced onions
6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2 - 3 inch pieces
6 cloves garlic, chopped
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 dried bay leaves

Heat oil in a saute pan over medium-high.  Sear the meat to brown it well on both sides.  This will add color and flavor to the final dish. 10 minutes total.  Transfer roast to a 4 to 6 qt. slow cooker.  Stir flour into pan; cook 1 minute.  Add tomato paste to the pan; stir to combine it with the flour.  This forms the base for the gravy.

Deglaze saute pan with wine, cooking until liquid evaporates.  Stir in broth and Worcestershire; bring mixture to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits.

Transfer broth mixture to the slow cooker; add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves.  Cover and cook until meat is fork tender, on high-heat setting for 4-5 hours or on low-heat setting for 8-9 hours.  Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves before serving.

This is Chef Elise.  Hard at work.....no not really but concentrating and focusing on making a delectable meal.

I must say this has been the best pot roast I've tasted in quite some time.  To have it simmer in the gravy was another added touch that just made this meal so wonderful and tastefully delicious.  It's a simple recipe, really no different than any other ones but I think what makes this stand out in savory flavors are the garlic and thyme.  This is a must try and one I will definitely want to try again.

Baked Virginia Ham

Ingredients

1 (14 to 16-pound) fully cooked,
  spiral-cut smoked ham, on the bone
6 garlic cloves
8 1/2 ounces mango chutney
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 orange, zested
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice


Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the ham in a heavy roasting pan.

Mince the garlic in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the chutney, mustard, brown sugar, orange zest, and orange juice and process until smooth.

Pour the glaze over the ham and bake for around 1 hour.

Bake until the ham is fully heated and the glaze is well browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.



Baked Virginia Ham in Virginia.....sorry, I just had to say that.  Mmmmmm, served with mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, jello-salad.  Simple but VERY good!!  All enjoyed it and that's what it's all about! :)  ~isavortheweekend

It Snowed on Christmas Day 12/25/10

Because we are in the middle of moving into our new home, this was the best Christmas tree we could muster up.