Saturday Surprise — food stuffs that stuffed me this month…
December 26, 2020
HAPPY DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS!!!
Hope everyone had a great day–however you spent it.
For me? I’ve eaten WAY too much in the past three days. And when I looked through my pictures, I decided that I’d break my monthly wrap-up into 2 posts this time, since it’s been a busy month for me, with all the audiobooks, books, cooking and crafting 🙂
WHAT I COOKED
I’m a HUGE soup fan, and maybe it sounds cocky, but I make KILLER soup. All kinds. This month’s fave was chicken and wild rice soup. I had leftover chicken from a rotisserie chicken (we usually buy one every other week and I find some use for it) I found a package of wild rice in my dry goods cupboard that I cooked a day ahead. Then I threw the chopped carrots, onion and celery in the chicken stock (along with salt, white pepper, sage and celery salt) and boiled it until the veggies were soft. Tossed in the chicken. Since I had a mushroom based bouillon I was curious about, I mixed that with some heavy cream and simmered it for about an hour. When I added the rice into the pot, it also called for zest from a whole lemon and that made a huge difference! It had an earthy taste and I cannot wait to make it again 🙂
Earlier in the week, I used the white meat from that rotisserie chicken and opted to make chicken enchiladas with green chile sauce. I’ve never made enchiladas before, but I had all the stuff, so I thought I’d give it a go. I used canned chile sauce and flour tortillas.
This is them all rolled up and ready to bake
This is how they look fresh out of the oven
All plated up and yum…I would definitely make them again — they were a big hit with both of us!
So another one of my favorite things we make, is pizza. We have a pizza crust recipe that is to die for — seriously — and it’s healthy-ish (1 cup of flour and 1 cup of greek yogurt) that makes thin, crispy crusts. I love love love weird pizza toppings, so this first picture is of my pizza with fig jam, ham and mozzarella cheese. SO SO SO good! I also love this with fresh arugula added after it comes out of the oven and other cheese like feta or even goat cheese gives it a unique taste.
Mr. James made a philly cheesesteak type of pizza with leftover roast meat, peppers and cheese that will go on our pizza toppings rotation. The other two in the picture are a pepperoni and a ham, and an everything with meat and veggies.
I didn’t bake a ton of stuff for the holidays this year, and I feel blessed that I got to spend part of a day with my mom and my aunt baking a few favorites like these spritz cookies
And this peppermint bark that is SO GOOD if you break off a chunk and put it in coffee 🙂
For several years, D3 and I used to bake Ghiradelli shortbread and chocolate drop cookies. But they stopped making them! So we had to improvise and these turned out to be our best batch ever 🙂 (Oh, and the kisses that look upside down? D3 did that on purpose just to see it it “looked better” 🙄🙄🙄)
Confession time: I burned the first batch of microwave peanut brittle completely black, filled my whole house with smoke and had to start over. The darker pieces were my attempt to make “fairy candy” which I love but it did taste burned. The lighter one is cashew brittle that didn’t turn out too bad…
I did break out the chocolate chip cheesecake recipe for Christmas Eve. I cut pieces way too big since it is seriously a decadent dessert.
I also made a few loaves of bread that I gave as gifts but I didn’t snap pics of them because…bread. But D3 and I did make these puff pastry savory rolls, with a 3 cheese blend that turned out…okay, but I don’t know that I’d make them again..
We have a ton of leftovers so I doubt I’ll make anything new before we head to Denver this week for a belated Christmas celebration with D1, her hubby and the precious grandbaby.
What was the favorite thing you made this year? Did you try something new? Or did you stick with familiar recipes?
Thanks for coming to the blog! Sorry I missed last week, I totally spaced it, but hey, I only missed one Saturday out of 2020 so I figured that was pretty good!
Think this weekly blog is something I should continue in 2021?
HAPPY NEW YEAR and be safe!!
XOXOXO
L~
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Pat D said:
Please do keep up the blog.
Belated Merry Christmas
Jeanine Lesperance said:
I love your blog, it is so much fun to hear what you have been doing. I really hope that you continue.
Aly P said:
Marry Christmas! Your cooking looks wonderful.
Diane Berarducci Amato said:
First please continue the blog I enjoy reading it.
This year I joined a few cookie groups on Facebook so I tried a couple of new recipes. I made almond biscotti and anise biscotti that my husband loved: I could not believe how easy they were to do. I think from now on I will be making them for him instead of buying them in the store. I also found a recipe for strawberry walnut bars that I tried. They were a hits I made pistachio raspberry bars. I don’t know that I would make them again they were kind of messy coming out of the pan.
Tracy Barbour said:
Now I’m craving soup & homemade bread!!!
B.J. Dworkin said:
Me too!
Lisa said:
Love your blogs. The pizza recipe- I cup flour and 1 cup Greek you Gary. Do you cook it first or just roll out and put toppings on and cook at 350 for 20 minutes?? I made some chocolate chip cookies but didn’t have the chips so used the heath chocolate toffee chips crushed in bags of 8 Oz and love them better than chocolate chips! Happy new year!
Tambra Byrne said:
Definitely keep up with the blog for 2021.
June said:
Hope you decide to keep up the blog in 2021! Have a happy trip to Denver!
Carol said:
Everything looks great! I feel like a slacker!
AnnaMarie Melchiorre said:
I love your blog but if it ever gets too much for you, do it every other week.
BJ Dworkin said:
Good idea!?
TARA said:
Love the blog!!!
Kathi said:
Our new favorite from last year is whipped shortbread…sprinkles before baking or lightly peppermint-ed frosting after w/ crushed candy cane…all are big hits with the 3 Grands.
This year the new favorite was raspberry jam or lemon curd thumbprints. They were also made with a shortbread like recipe.
Our family standard favorites are homemade turtles, polka dot balls (pb, marshmallow creme crispy rice cereal and m&ms) and coconut balls…always gone first and always second batches made.
June Hart said:
Love the blog and seeing what you are cooking. I hope you can continue to find the time to share.
Anne Fortunato said:
I made Fairy Godmother cake for the first time. Then had to make it again because it was sooooo good. It’s made with 1/2 pound of almond paste. Delicious.
Michelle D Holden said:
You’d think I had some Italian in me with the dishes I made this week.
Sausage & Peppers for my son’s Christmas Party, 2 big batches
Stuffed Shells for us for Christmas Day
I also made a couple of batches of Salsa for my son’s Christmas Party. I usually make it for my work, but we were forced to start working from home (there were only 3 of us left in the office) I hate it, I’d rather be in the office, the only benefit is I am home with my dog and can wear pajama bottoms.
Jenny Black said:
I love the blog, you should definitely keep it up. I’ve made a few things, but nothing special. Crafts have been more of my thing. I’ve started learning to sew and have had a few successes.
Stacy G said:
I enjoy this blog. But I would understand if you don’t want to do it each week. Spritz cookies are a favorite of our family.
Is the pizza crust only flour and yogurt. I’d like to get that recipe.
Janice Clark said:
I’m a soup person too. I have been working on a shrimp bisque recipe since thanksgiving. It was a success on Christmas Day before the full dinner, which was Enough food for twenty but actually intended for a small group of four. We will have leftovers for days. Merry Christmas. Thanks for being a bright spot in what has been quite a year.
Tiss Johnson said:
I made 2 pans of Salted Nut roll bars. we were invited to two places this year. My cousin’s and to a friends and since my son and his family left the state and didn’t bother to tell me, I guess I won’t worry about him.
I also made a New York Cheesecake that is really yummy.
Yes, you should continue the blog,, but only if you want to. We love hearing what your up to.
Gloria Nelson said:
I tried to make sponge candy, fairy candy or whatever its called. It must be one of those candies that you have to practice making as mine tasted burnt too.
so I tried a second batch, not much better so I threw it all out. I’ll just buy it.
Debbie Bales said:
I hope you continue the blog. I enjoy reading it and seeing all that you are up to. I love your cooking info even though I’m not much for cooking.
Elisa said:
Hi! Please keep up the blog! I don’t do Facebook or any of the other social media stuff, but I like to read your weekly comments. And Man Candy Mondays! Yikes! What would I do without the weekly pick me ups!?
My hubby and I isolated for 14 days before going up northern Ontario (Canada) to visit his 90 yr old mom. She lives by herself and has been feeling quite isolated, especially since the weather turned cold. During the summer, she was able to host friends on her driveway, or similarly visit friends in the same manner. But now that there’s snow on the ground, nobody wants to stand in the snow! She hasn’t had any visitors since mid-October.
We just got back tonight. She was very appreciative by baking us lots of goodies! Christmas Cake, Nanaimo Bars, Chocolate Marshmallow Rolls, Shortbread, Whipped Shortbread, Spritz cookies, Belgian cookies, peanut butter balls… and that was just the Christmas themed baking! We also got a special dessert with every dinner! She’s awesome!
She’s very traditional, so yes, yesterday’s dinner was 100% traditional, turkey, turnip, mashed potatoes, gravy, and homemade cranberry sauce!
Happy 2021 Lorelei and everyone! It can only get better from here, right!?
B.J. Dworkin said:
EI enjoy the weekly blogs! Even if I don’t comment. Only made chocolate fudge brownies with chocolate icing! Yum!!
Melissa Hillman said:
My daughter and I do. Cookie weekend every year, which I wasnt sure we could do for 2020 but it dis end up working out. Since we noth are working from these days distributing to family and friends was a little more complicated….even an abandoned parking lot social distanced cookie deal with work friends! But a quick way to connect that we all enjoyed!
Charlene George said:
I love, love your newsletters. Just makes my day. Thank you so much 😊 and God Bless you 🙏
Pamela Gomes said:
A belated Merry Christmas to you! I did a goodie tray this year with citrus shortbread, gingersnaps, pecan pie brownies, Herbes de Provence focaccia bread, cheese straws, and hot cocoa bombs. The list ensured everyone could find a favorite. Perhaps my favorite was a gluten free, deconstructed pumpkin pie – designed as a result of frustration of trying to roll out gf pie crust. Here’s to 2021!
Moran said:
I love reading your blog post so I hope you’ll keep writing them in 2021 😁
Ruby Norwood said:
Happy New Year! That peanut brittle looks absolutely delicious . I’ve been reading your books for a long time…