Speaking of Christmas . . .

Some of you have moved recently (okay, in the last 2 years, but I am slow). Can we start a round robin/mass email of our current addresses just to make sure everyone is on the same page? I know I don't have up to date addresses for Carrie, Alysia, Dan, Zingrin, Michael T., NEB or Airika (maybe I do, but how would I know since we never hear from her). So! When this starts, if anybody knows their addresses (or has a good guess) feel free to reply for them. Also! Hannah? I feel sure you sent me your address and I DO pay attention (to you anyway ;) but I can't seem to find it.
That's all folks!

PS I don't have many Christmas recipes because we usually do super traditional things that have no recipe. Rub butter on turkey. Use baking bag. Yeah! Beg Granny to make the dressing and let you watch so that someday you will be able to make it. Follow the pumpkin pie recipe on the Libby's can. The only unique thing I can think of (with a recipe) is a Cranberry Upside Down Cake recipe I have. I typically make it for Easter but I think it is more traditionally a Christmas/Thanksgiving recipe. It is very easy and I will share if anyone is interested.

Oh, and some years my family has gone non-traditional for Christmas and had Mexican! or Steaks! or Italian! They know better than to do this when I will be around. Anyway, if you are wanting to break out of the box, do it with flair. The lasagna sounds like a prime candidate for such a venture. I will be trying that recipe one of these days.

*Neb's Top 5 Can't-Live-Without-Them Holiday "Recipes"*

1) Coffee: add grounds, add water, brew. Flavors are good. Addition of liquor is permissible in the presence of Disturbing Relatives.

2) Chocolate: Find stockings hung over the mantle with care. Access candy. The perfect Christmas morning breakfast.

3) Asparagus Casserole: [My mom's recipe- I've made it before, but can't remember the precise details. I don't think you can really go wrong, though.] Layer asparagus, extra sharp cheddar cheese, and finely ground Ritz cracker crumbs in a casserole dish with pats of butter on each layer and a tiny bit of milk poured over the whole thing at the end. Bake at some kind of temperature, like maybe 350 or so, for awhile, you know, until it's quite hot all the way through and the cheese is melted and so forth. I would guess 30 or 45 minutes. I really have absolutely no idea how long. You kitchen people could probably guess better than me. Anyway, my mom always used canned asparagus, but I'm sure fresh would improve the taste- don't know how that might change the baking time. This is my absolute favorite dish at Thanksgiving.

4) Sweet Potato Souffle: [Again, this is one of my mom's Thanksgiving recipes, and I have made it before, but since it's somewhat complicated mine really didn't turn out the same as hers..] Let's see, you start by baking some sweet potatoes. How many, you ask? Well, get the casserole dish you're going to use for this recipe and see how many sweet potatoes will fit, I guess. Once the sweet potatoes are baked soft, scoop out the insides, and mash them with a lot of butter and some nutmeg and brown sugar. Then separate some eggs and beat your egg whites with an electric mixer until That Thing Happens (you know, that cooking thing that you're always looking for when you beat egg whites... "stiff peaks"? Is that what they call it?) How many eggs, you ask? Well... how many sweet potatoes did you bake? You need enough egg white material to match the amount of sweet potato innards you've got! Fold in the egg whites to the sweet potatoes, VERY slowly and patiently, to make them fluffy.

Add some more butter and brown sugar. Use a LOT. Really. [When I asked my mom for this recipe over the phone, she was, of course, trying to be more specific with quantities and stuff until she got to the butter. Then our conversation went like this:

Mom: "And then, you add LOTS of butter..."
Neb [writing]: "Okay... how much butter?"
Mom: "Well. [Pause] I really can't tell you how much butter I put in."
Neb: (sigh) "Mom, I know you put in a lot of butter. Seriously, it's okay. Just tell me how much."
Mom: [audibly blushing] "No. Really. I can't tell you how much butter I put in. I can't say the amount out loud."

I can just see the scene at the Pearly Gates, where [perhaps?] all of our Secret Deeds are revealed, with Michael the Archangel saying "YOU, Elizabeth W. ****, put SEVENTEEN STICKS OF BUTTER into that one casserole you made every Thanksgiving..."]

So then I think you sprinkle some more brown sugar on the top (it couldn't hurt, right?) and top with giant (S'more-sized) marshmellows, then bake (at 350 maybe? For some amount of time?) Yeah. Good stuff.

PS Now that I think of it, I think maybe you're supposed to take at least one of your egg yolks from the separation and mix that in too, and maybe a little milk. But it probably doesn't matter much.

5) Apple salad: Cut up about 3 apples and 3 bananas into tiny pieces. Place in a large bowl with 1 can of pineapple chunks (again, I'm sure fresh is better, but we always used canned), some mini marshmellows, and Cool Whip. Top with Marastachio(?) Those Bright Red Cherries that Come in a Jar and Begin with an M. Serve chilled.

In closing, a gratuitous baby picture:


Love, Neb

Deanna's Sicilian Lasagna

I got this from a coworker of mine. It takes some time, but it's totally worth it.

Sauce:

Chuck roast (or similar inexpensive roast -- NOT ground -- and NOT flank steak), approx 2 LB
Olive oil (couple tablespoons)
6 cloves garlic
4T basil (dried or fresh)
Tomato sauce -- 2 large cans
Tomato paste -- 2 small cans
1/2 C sugar
6 bay leaves
salt & pepper

Cheese:
1 tub Ricotta
1/2 C Shredded Parmesan (shredded is better than the shelf-stable grated stuff)
1/2 C Shredded Mozzarella
various spices to taste (I usually use more garlic, basil, oregano, thyme and a little marjoram)

Lasagna noodles -- I like the no-boil kind.

Get your biggest soup pot. Heat the olive oil in the bottom (it's ready when it just starts to smoke), then brown the roast about 5 min. each side, add the garlic and basil when you turn the roast over. Once it's brown, add the tomato sauce and paste, bring to a simmer and cover. A half hour later, add the sugar, bay leaves and whatever other spices you'd like. Cover and simmer for a while ... the longer the better. Like 4-6 hours. The point is to simmer this stuff until the beef falls apart.

Combine the cheeses. Layer the lasagna as usual, except that the meat's already with the sauce. You may need to break up the larger pieces of meat. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 50 minutes; uncover for a final 10 minutes.

Notes:
1. The sauce can be done in a crock pot. It comes out a little darker -- just make sure your crock pot is big enough!! I still prefer the taste of stovetop-prepared, though, and do it that way when I can.
2. Finished sauce can also be frozen for up to six months.

From Hannah -- she put it in the comments section, but here's its own entry.

Scotch Shortbread

(Best made a day before you plan to serve it.)

1 cup butter
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
2 cups sifted flour (at room temp.)

Cream butter and beat in sugar gradually. Mix in flour well. Spread on a cookie sheet, or in a cake pan (about 9"x9") at least 1/2 in. thick. (If you're having trouble patting it out--too sticky--chill for 30 min. or so till the dough is stiffer.) Prick all over with a fork (we always do a pattern). Bake at 350 F. for 5 min. Reduce heat to 300 and bake about 45 min. longer. Cut while still hot! (We usually cut ours in 36 squares...but, of course, you can try any shape or size.)

Enjoy! I made shortbread just a couple weeks ago.