‘Tis the Season to be jolly, but what if I don’t feel like it?
Needless to say, 2020 has been a year like no other. We have faced floods, hurricanes, contentious elections, riots, and, of course, a teensy-little worldwide pandemic. I doubt that I am the only person excited about celebrating the new year.
We might be a little sad, anxious, and stir crazy, so Christmas may not feel so ‘Holly Jolly’ at your house. In recent years, we host a big Christmas Eve dinner for family and friends. This year, we have decided we must cancel. I am disappointed, but I have had to step back and re-center on the real reason for Christmas. This Christmas, I need to remember, refocus, and celebrate God’s perfect gift to us.
When my children were little, we called it Jesus’ birthday and many times we celebrated in a similar way. I can still see my baby girl singing “Happy Birthday, Jesus” in her school Christmas program. My son, who was born at the end of November, had a ‘Nativity’ birthday party devoted to the advent calendar and the baby in the manger. We made little manger ornaments. I do not know about his deep religious convictions at the time, but at age two, he got the point of Christmas.
Let’s all put aside the many disappointments of 2020 and celebrate a very special birthday this Christmas. Seek Him this Christmas – Seek: His joy; His love; His comfort; His compassion; His wisdom; His goodness. Seek His Son. Merry Christmas.
For Christmas dinner, our family will get to pick several favorite dishes for the meal. This year we will be keeping it simple, safe, and keeping it real. Happy Birthday, Jesus!
Selby’s Christmas Rolls
These have always been an essential part of our holiday table. The recipe makes a lot of rolls and while it might seem silly to make them for just our family, one year, Selby ate about 20 during our Christmas Eve party. They freeze easily if you have any left over. Also, get the kids to help shape the rolls—they do not have to be perfect.
Proof: two packages or 4 1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast in 2 cups warm water with a pinch of sugar. Allow mixture to sit for about five minutes until yeast blooms and appears foamy.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, mix together:
Proofed yeast
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons table salt
Once thoroughly mixed, add in 6 to7 cups of all-purpose flour, stirring in one cup at a time. You may not need it all.
When dough becomes too stiff to stir, turn it out on a floured surface and knead for a few minutes adding flour as needed. Dough should be smooth and elastic.
Put dough in bowl coated with nonstick spray. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about one to two hours. Punch down dough and gather into a ball. With floured hands, shape pieces of dough into balls about the size of a ping-pong ball. You will have about 40 balls when finished.
Arrange on a well-greased baking sheet about 1/2-inch apart and cover with a loose towel. Allow to rise again until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake rolls 20 to 30 minutes or until golden, and then brush with 1/2 cup melted butter.
Sprinkle a mixture of 1 tablespoon dried dill weed, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 2 tablespoons kosher salt on the top of the baked rolls.
Cool slightly before serving.
BYOM (Bring your own Meat)
I have written about my outspoken, opinionated, and high-spirited family. They are fun, and meal time is almost a sporting event. Everyone has an opinion, everyone has a comment, and you never really know what is going to happen next. Several years ago, to keep the family peace, we decided to try BYOM for Christmas Dinner. BYOM allows everyone to “Bring Your Own Meat.” Whatever you want, it is your choice and you eat what you bring. It has definitely cut down on the comments.
In the past, my dad has selected a two-inch thick porterhouse or a ribeye, my mom has brought small little steak pieces, and my sister and her husband have brought deer steak and chicken breasts. My group always picks beef filets. Other cuts may be marbleized for more flavor or prized for their age, but we love a good filet and I love to cook it in my cast iron skillet.
My Perfect Filet
4 - 8 ounce well-trimmed filets
2 tablespoons canola oil
Garlic salt, fresh cracked pepper and/or other steak seasoning (We like McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning)
4 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven to 475 degrees (depending on the thickness of the steaks and your desired amount of doneness, you may not need the oven). While the oven is heating, remove steaks from refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature for at least about 15-20 minutes.
When ready to cook, rub steaks with oil and coat with seasoning. Put cast iron skillet on stove top and turn heat on high. Allow skillet to heat until it is smoking, about two to three minutes. Carefully put steaks in the skillet and allow to cook, without moving, for about four minutes. Carefully, turn steaks over and cook for an additional 4 minutes. Check for doneness.
We eat ours medium rare, however, if your steak is thicker or you want it more done, put the skillet in the oven for about three minutes until desired doneness. Place 1 tablespoon of butter on each steak and allow to rest on a serving platter (not in the skillet, as it will keep cooking the steaks) for about 5-10 minutes.
Sauteed Spinach
Fresh sauteed spinach is so simple but out of this world in the flavor category. I normally buy the big container of baby spinach and cook the entire thing. It is amazing how much the spinach will cook down.
1 (16 ounce container) fresh baby spinach leaves
3 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
In a very large skillet, melt butter on medium heat. Start adding spinach in batches, stirring frequently and adding more spinach as it wilts. Once all the spinach has been cooked (you will end up with about 2 cups of sauteed spinach) season with salt, pepper, and fresh lemon juice. Add additional tablespoon of butter on top, if desired.
Wild Rice Dressing
My mom and dad had friends who would travel to Canada each summer and bring us home “real, long-grained wild rice.” I have had the box mixes but the first time I tried the real thing, I was hooked. Wild rice is actually not a rice but seeds of an aquatic grass, and when cooked, it has an outer shell that has a nutty flavor and a tender white center.
1 cup wild rice
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound white or mixed mushrooms, sliced
4 tablespoons butter
1 bunch green onions, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped (celery leaves are particularly good added in this recipe)
Salt, pepper, season salt to taste
Rinse rice in cold water and drain. Bring 6 cups of water and salt to a boil. Add rice. Bring everything back to a boil and simmer until rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Drain and keep warm.
While rice is cooking, melt butter in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and remaining ingredients and sauté until vegetables are tender. Season to taste. Add rice and stir thoroughly. Serve warm.
Wedge Salad with Homemade
Blue Cheese Dressing
This salad goes back to the BYOM. It provides another opportunity for everyone to add or delete what they want on their salad. Feel free to add anything to the wedge. We like chopped red onion, toasted pumpkin seeds and bacon crumbles along with extra blue cheese.
Blue Cheese Dressing
6 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (more to top the salad)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
¾ cup sour cream
½ - ¾ cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 drops hot sauce
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
Salt/pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Durkee sauce or honey mustard (optional but a great addition)
Mix cream cheese, mayo, sour cream in a bowl until well blended. Stir in lemon juice and remaining ingredients. Fold in blue cheese crumbles. Chill overnight for the best flavor. Correct seasonings when ready to serve.
Laura’s Surprise Cranberry Pie
This pie is called “surprise” because my sister made it this Thanksgiving and we were all surprised how delicious and easy it is. It is definitely going to make an appearance on our Christmas menu.
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup heavy cream
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups or one 14 ounce can of whole berry cranberry sauce
1 chocolate graham cracker crust
In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in heavy cream and sugar. Blend in vanilla. By hand, stir in cranberry sauce. Pour into crust and freeze for several hours or overnight.
Allow to thaw for 15-30 minutes before serving.
While you are in the kitchen this Christmas, consider doubling the food and taking a meal to a neighbor or friend. Many families will be separated from one another this year so please look out for a neighbor. You can do this safely, and I know it will be appreciated. More so than ever, during this time of year, people need to feel loved and like someone is checking on them.
