Cookaholics Bulletin Board

All,

We're having guests this Christmas, so I can't do anything unconventional (I'd been thinking of Iraqi or Moroccan). Instead, I'm doing Italian:

Antipasto: Tuscan antipasto with two salamis from Boccolone, panchetta, young pecorino, ricotta salata, and caselvetrano olives. My potato bread, or sourdough (haven't decided).

Primo: tortelli in brodo: each diner gets two huge tortelli, one with homemade ricotta & porcini mushrooms, the other with a pumpkin filling, in porcini broth.

Secondo: branzino (actually, trout) al sale: river trout baked in a salt shell, soft polenta, and fried broccoli and kale. Wine: LaGrein from Greis winery in Bozen.

Dessert: buttermilk pannacotta, either with balsalmic glaze or fruit syrup (undecided) With lemon cantucci and a dessert wine from Bozen.

I wish I was going to your house... I LOVE the idea of the 2 different broths.

My in-laws are coming X-mas day and my husband requested turkey so I bought a teeny turkey today. I think I will brine it and roast it stuffed with aromatics and make a stuffing separately which I never do but I think the amount of stuffing that would fit in there wouldn't be worth it. The mash, rolls, peas, cranberry sauce. I am totally unexcited about this meal. My in-laws are quite fussy, they eat very little (all the while complaining there is too much food) and roast turkey once a year is perfect for me.

Any tips for tiny turkeys (about 9 lbs)?

Mary

The usual. Prime rib with twice baked potatoes, CI's creamed peas with chevre, another veg. to be announced, and "Christmas salad;" sliced harvard beets alternated with avocado slices, on a bed of lettuce with, topped with crumbled egg. Shrimp cocktail with "Texas" cocktail sauce.

Going to friends for Christmas Eve Oyster Stew and I am bringing No Knead Sourdough bread and Pumpkin Bread (thanks Fuzzy)and Chocolate Truffles.
Going to a friends for Christmas Day and they will not let me bring anything (very insistant)....so basically, I'm hardly "cooking" for the holidays, but will definitely eat well.
ilene

Going to my mothers, but I am cooking part of it. Chateaubriand, roasted redskins with garlic and herbs (to be decided upon), glazed whole carrots from our garden.

Mom is doing the rest and so I'm not sure, but probably rolls and salad. Shrimp cocktail, and an assourtment of cheeses and crackers. Dessert's left from Christmas eve dinner.


Laurie

Mary,

Sorry, can't help you with turkey. Even when I ate turkey, my folks weren't that fond of it, so I think I cooked one once, back in 1986.

Mary, why not cook a small prime rib or tenderloin too. I don't blame you for not wanting Thanksgiving all over again!

Laurie

I would love a small prime rib... I think the turkey is more than enough though. The good side is that I get to cook the turkey the way I want it as we had Thanksgiving at a friends and I only had to do cookies and sweet potatoes. What I was wondering is what adjustments should be made for such a little turkey.

Mary

PS I am a little sad that I seem to be the only one without your pepper jelly though... I would put it over cream cheese and serve it with crackers.

"PS I am a little sad that I seem to be the only one without your pepper jelly though... I would put it over cream cheese and serve it with crackers".


Laurie
Since you can't possibly send it all of us, would you be willing to share your recipe?

ilene