Palmabella's Passions

I guess I didn't say what I do with these! I use them as "wrapping" for small gifts like jewelry or gift cards. The rest are filled with cookies and treats to give to friends.

Which is YOUR favorite?

I REALLY hate garage sales. Only thing worse than going to a garage sale is HAVING a garage sale! I had one three years ago when we downsized homes. We are not allowed to have one in our gated community, so we rented a truck, and moved everything to a friend's garage for the weekend. I swore I would NEVER do it again, but here I was yesterday, up at 5, and hauling boxes our to the driveway at 6:00 in a very cold wind!

Our gated community decided to do a "one shot deal". 10 Families participated (each in their own garage or driveway). It went from 8-12. We had people there before 7:00. Hey, I'm all for getting up early to SHOP, but that would be only for a day at Nordies or if Saks had a blowout! OK, I'd go to Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, or William-Sonoma if they had a 50% off thing going on too!

We sold almost half our stuff in the first hour, much more by 10:00. The wind was killing me. By 11:00, we packed up the few things that were left for charity, took our $432 profit, and went in where it was warm! The truck arrived to take our leftovers at noon, and my garage is HALF empty and ready for a car!

A couple friends asked me home much stuff did I buy at other houses? I never even looked at other people's yards. I have enough stuff of my own. OK, while I didn't walk to any garages, my friend Diana, brought a couple of boxes of things over and sat with me. I traded her a game for a great grapevine cheese basket!

We were having pork chops. I wanted something warm and savory to go with it. I browsed through a few recipes, and then I tweaked a few things in a recipe from Emeril, and came up with this:

Two large bags of fresh spinach leaves
2 T. olive oil
One half onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can quartered artichoke hearts (in water), chopped
1 T. basil
1 T. parsley
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
4 eggs
2 c. cream
1 1/2 c. milk
1 T. lemon juice
8 oz. brie (rind removed, cubed)
1 c. grated gruyere (4 oz.)
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
1 baguette day-old French bread, cubed

Preheat oven to 350. In a pot of boiling water, cook spinach 30 seconds (just until wilted). Rinse, dran, and squeeze all water out. Wrap in paper towels to drain more before chopping.

Heat olive oil, and sautee onions on medium high heat until golden. Add garlic, herbs, and half of salt and pepper for a minute, and the drained, chopped artichokes for 2 more minutes. Set aside.

Combine eggs, cream, milk, lemon juice, remaining salt and pepper, and whisk in a large bowl. Add brie, gruyere, remaining salt and pepper, and half of parmesan. Toss cubed bread and chopped spinach into cream mixture, mixing thoroughly. Pour into a greased baking dish, and top with remaining parmesan. Bake 1 hour at 350.
8 servings. DELICIOUS!

*Next time I make this (for a December dinner party), I'm going to try baking it in large muffin cups, for crunchy individual servings!

I have to admit I LOVE butter. A couple of weeks ago, I laughed at Jerry when he told me he had been buying and hoarding butter for holiday baking, and had 25 pounds of it in his fridge! (At the time I had ten pounds hoarded, and of course I had to buy more the next time I went to Costco and Trader Joe's.)

At the register in Trader Joe's with lots of nuts, figs, chocolate, and BUTTER in my shopping cart, the clerk asked me about the eight pounds of butter. He wanted to know if I was making HIM cookies. I shared that I had a friend who had 25 pounds of butter ready. (I'll let Jerry tell you how much FLOUR he bought!)

The clerk, proceeded to tell me that they have a regular customer, who lives in the mountains, an hour from here, and comes to the store on the first Saturday of every month to buy 35 pounds of butter. EVERY MONTH. I asked if they were bakers. He said "No". I asked if they had a cookie company from their home. Again the answer was "No." He said they were a "little old retired couple", and they CONSUME it. So that is over a pound a day!!! I asked if they looked healthy. He said they were NOT overweight, and seemed quite active. Hmmmmm. I'll just leave the speculation to you!

I MAY still run out! I have baked 50 dozen holiday treats SO FAR..., and it is only December 6. I have lots more to bake next week!

So far I've made:
3 batches of shortbread
2 batches of "World's Best Cookies"
2 batches of "Cherry-Pistachio Cheater Cookies"
2 batches of Peanutbutter-Chocolate Balls
2 batches of Oreo-Cream cheese Balls

Oh how I love this time of the year!

I call these "cheater cookies" because they are not made from scratch. Oh well. Quick and delicious! Robin Miller demonstrated these on the Food Network's "All Star Cookies" special.

One "tube" of refrigerated sugar cookie dough.
1/2 cup pistachios (chopped)
1/2 cup dried cherries (or cranberries)
11 oz. white chocolate (melted)

Flatten the tube of dough into a rectangle. Spread nuts and fruit on top. Fold dough twice, and smash in addition. Re-roll into a log, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refridgerate for 30 minutes. Slice and bake 10 min. at 350. When cooled, dip half the cookie in melted white chocolate or baking pieces, and let dry on parchement paper.

These are easy, no-bake treats. Dipping in the chocolate may take a while, though!

2 8oz. packages of cream cheese (softened)
1/3 -1/2 c. powdered sugar (I use less because I WANT to taste the cream cheese)
10-12 oreo cookies

Put oreos in food processor to crumble (leave some chucks).
Add cream cheese and powdered sugar. Blend well. Refridgerate until firm. Scoop small teaspoons of dough and roll into balls by hand. Refridgerate again. Using a toothpick, or wooden skewer, dip into melted white chocolate or any chocolate (I used white candy melts), and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment. Chill to harden coating, and decorate (optional).

As I was gathering garage sale items, I found two large fake wreaths from our last house (with tons of wall space and high ceilings). This one used to hang over a bar, and had only lights, martini glass ornaments, and a big bow. I got this idea over Thanksgiving in San Francisco, when I saw the Pottery Barn Window.

I took some of our 2007 Italy photos and framed them. Each year, I can switch out the photos, and change the year on the wall!

I LOVE coming up with a new centerpiece, decoration, or idea each year, along with all of the old traditions. I think this was a good use of the wreath. The OTHER wreath sold for $5 at the garage sale!

Yesterday I was down with a 24 hour tummy virus. I have two events this week, and little time to blog. Here is an amusing greeting from Rail Europe to entertain you until I have time for a break:

Greetings from Rail Europe (choose your favorite destination!)

First we have the "old standards". It wouldn't be Christmas without shortbread and toffee!

Then we HAVE to have "World's Best Cookies" (Brad's favorite, even though he's a chocolate lover, and there is NO chocolate in these)

More cookies and treats coming soon!

This year I made some new recipes. I decided to try rugaleh. Well, that dough smelled so yummy, I made four batches...with four different fillings: fig, raspberry, pomegranite, and cinnamon-raisin!

Then I did a peanut-butter version of the cream cheese balls.

Finally, how about these peppermint brownies?

Jerry needed help with his tree, so a few elf friends and I decided to give him a hand:

I've been so busy, it has already been a week since our getaway to Orange County. I am taking a cooking break, so here are some highlights of last weekend.

Jan, Les and I arrived at South Coast Plaza (the fabulous mall) on Friday at 11:30. After our favorite lunch of prime rib sandwiches at Lawry's Carvery, Les proceeded to the hotel, and Jan and I SHOPPED until 5. I completed my shopping for Brad and picked up another dozen gifts or so.

The mall has lots of upscale stores and is huge! It is 2.8 million square feet (approx. a square mile) of shopping heaven! The Holiday decorations were spectacular, and every inch of ceiling trim was done in huge garlands with millions of giant green and magenta balls with amaryllis tucked in. There was a Santa's village, and train sets going through mountains of "snow".

Brad arrived at 7PM to find me happily lounging in front of the hotel tree in the bar with a glass of wine (and a diet Pepsi) and my book until dinner.

A holiday weekend to South Coast Plaza (now our fourth year, and starting to feel like a tradition), often includes dinner at my favorite Orange County Italian restaurant, Antonello's. It is decorated to the max, with lights, wreaths and holiday greenery everywhere, There food is amazing, and again, this year I ordered the pasta pinwheels with pink and bechemel sauce. Two sheets of pasta (long like lasagna noodles) are spread with a fontina, prosciutto, ricotta filling, then rolled up into a spiral, and served with the two beautiful sauces. I was already full after Brad and I shared a calamari appetizer, so I barely made it through one spiral, but luckily, there was a fridge in our hotel room.

We decided to order one dessert for the four of us to share. Here was the best canoli I've ever tasted. (It's tucked back there behind the sauces, fruit, and spun sugar!)

The second reason for going to OC on this particular date, was the bead show! These can be quite overwhelming, especially the first time, or if you have no idea what you are looking for. I had a few items I KNEW I wanted, and vendors I have purchased from in the past. Brad took a few photos of me shopping:

LOTS of crystals:

Every color:

Chain, chain, chain! I bought some fake "Diamonds by the foot".

I found a few treasures for Christmas gifts, and managed to get through a whole arena worth of booths in two hours!

We're ready for guests!

Here's the table:

I LOVE setting different tables, especially at the holidays. I bought these new shiny metallic trees during our post-Thanksgiving shopping at Gumps. They were shipped here in wonderful foam-lined storage boxes. Good thing I have all that new space in the garage, right?

Each placesetting had it's silver in a stocking, and the photos in frames were from LAST year's holiday dinner.

Each year, we have our wonderful friends, Jan and Les, and Fiona, Steve, and Fiona's mom (visiting from Wales) over for an evening of decadence. We enjoy a wonderful meal, plenty of wine, and tons of gifts!

In case you can't read the photo, here was last night's menu:
Appetizers:Baked Brie with Fig-pear Jam, Panzarotti
Served with Prosecco (or choice of cocktail)
(I forgot to take a photo.)

First Course:
Pear-gorgonzola ravioli with Sage-butter Sauce
Served with “J” Pinot Gris

Salad Course:
Jan’s salad with Blood Oranges, Avacado, Red Onion, Gorgonzola, Pomegranites
Orange-poppy seed Dressing
Served with Solena Pinot Gris

Entrée:
Filet of Beef: Browned in Sage-Butter,
Wrapped in Pancetta & Hazlenuts;
with a Puff Pastry Collar, and Porcini -Madeira Reduction Sauce
Served with Palazzo della Torre Alegrini

Dessert:
5-Layer Brownie Cheesecake
Assorted Dolci
Coffee, Liquores, or Brachetto

We had happy diners:

A Happy Ego in his Christmas sweater:

Jan, May and Fiona loved their party favor purse and shoe ornaments:

Wonderful gifts were exchanged. Brad was a happy guy with his favorite "B's": Barbera, Barolo, and Brunello! The guys all learned about wine decanters for one glass from Montalcino.

The ladies loved their real handbags and shawls from Florence.

Fiona and Steve brought us gifts from their recent trip to South Africa!

I love my new pasta recipes, Furla travel jewelry case, my gorgeous art glass candle, bracelet, and holiday spreaders.

We laughed a LOT!

On Friday, our gated community, "Venezia", had a "Toasting the Trees" Party. Four homeowners offered to open their homes so neighbors could see their trees and holiday decorations. 28 people signed up for the walk around the neighborhood, and all the walkers were assigned a house (by the helpful Elf committee) to drop off an appetizer before the party.

We began at Pat and Joe's festive home.

Robert had "Santa's drink wagon" to help transport ice chests and bottles.

We spent 30 minutes at each house, enjoying wonderful new treats, and toasting each couple who welcomed us by their tree. The second house was newlyweds, Rick and Leah's new home. Welcome to the neighborhood!

The third house was Priscilla and Damon's. I loved seeing all the "kid art" around this lovely home. Remember those kindergarten wreaths made out of paint handprints?
Nice to have some young new families in the neighborhood!

We were the last house. There were lots of goodies to sample!

We toasted one of our five trees!

After the Tree Toasting, we were invited to Robert's for an afterparty. He had a gorgeous crystal-covered tree.

Come on in! Welcome to our home!

Italy Tree: (Brad's Office)

Sunflower Tree: (My Therapy Office in the Casita)

The "Big Tree": (Dining Room)

Shopping Tree: (Mstr. Bedroom)

Great Room Tree:

This month , because everyone was busy, we wanted a short read. We decided to re-read (or read for the first time) Dickens' "A Christmas Carol". We were all glad we did and enjoyed reading it!

Here was a fun appetizer if you are looking for something easy and festive:

Take a round brie (I used a big one from Trader Joe's.) Cut five leaf shapes out of the top rind. Bake (or microwave) for a few minutes until bubbly. Fill leaf shapes with red jam or jelly (I used pomegranite). Garnish center with a little chopped yellow pepper. Serve with crackers or "Holly chips".

Holly Chips: 1 package of spinach-vegetable or other flavor green flour tortillas. Cut out a paper holly leaf shape to use as a pattern. Cutting through two tortillas at a time, cut out as many leaves as will fit. (I got 5 per tortilla, giving me 40 leaves from a package of 8). Place on baking sheet, and bake at 350 for 5-7 min. until crisp, but not brown. Store in a ziplock bag. (I made leaves the night before.)

We celebrated the season with a wonderful lunch at Linda's home, then came to my house for dessert and our ornament exchange.

Enjoy the rest of the holiday season! Click here!

I love make-ahead meals for company. Since I'll have a housefull next week, I thought I'd share this one. I "tried it out" on Brad last Sunday, and it was a keeper!

Puff Pastry Omelet (Serves 8-10)

Thaw a box of puff pastry. Roll out on floured surface and cut as shown in photo.
Scramble a dozen eggs with whatever you like: cheese, onion, bacon, sausage, prosciutto, etc. Spread half of cooked eggs down the center of each puff pastry sheet, and braid strips together. (Freeze now...or continue and eat) Bake at 350 for 25 min.
Remove from oven and brush with an egg wash (one beaten egg). Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and continue baking for 10 min. One package of puff pastry makes two.

We're having ours with monkey bread and citrus salad. Buon Appetito!

At last week's Tree Toasting, several neighbors dropped off an appetizer before the party. I met Laurie, and her houseguest, MaryBeth from San Diego. We chatted again at the first house, and later at our house. Then, as I was talking to a new neighbor, MaryBeth ran out to the patio where I was. She asked, "Are you the only Palma in Palm Desert?"

I said, I had never met another, but didn't know for sure. I have met a couple other Palmas in my life. Then Mary Beth excitedly said, "And you go to Italy, right?"

I said , "YES!"

MaryBeth laughed, and yelled, "Oh my God, you're Palmabella! I've been reading your blog for over a year!!!"

She explained that she was trying to plan a trip to Italy for her anniversary, and ran across one of my trip reports on Slow Travel. She has been reading my blog ever since.

It is always AMAZING to me that anyone other than friends that I know personally would read my blog. I know some find it by searching for a recipe, or by googling something about Italy. But I LOVE these small world stories when I meet someone who recognizes me from my blog. It is very flattering, as well as fun! Keep reading, MaryBeth!

to all my readers!

I always make almond toffee for the holidays. This year, I decided to try two other candy recipes using my favorite nut...cashews!

Five-Spice Cashew Brittle

*If you can't find Chinese 5-spice powder, substitute 1/4 t. of each: ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger, and ground anise seeds, then add a pinch of salt and pepper. This combination, used in Chinese cooking incorporates tastes of sweet, sour, bitter, savory and salty. It is an interesting mix of flavors for candy!

12 oz. raw cashews
3 c. sugar
2 T. light corn syrup
1 1/2 t. Chinese 5-spice powder
1/2t. salt

Preheat oven to 350. Spread cashews on a cookie sheet and roast until golden (about 8 minutes)

Generously butter a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Combine sugar, corn syrup and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir just until sugar is dissolved (4-5 min.) Increase heat to high, and boil without stirring until syrup is amber colored (330 on a candy thermometer) (about 15-20 min.). Remove from heat, and working quickly, stir in spice, salt and warm cashews. Spread in buttered pan using offset spatula to make single flat layer. Chill for at least an hour, then break into pieces.

My favorite: Buttery Cashew Brittle

2 c. butter
2 c. sugar
2 T. light corn syrup
2 T salt
1/2 c. water

Combine all ingredients, except cashews, in a saucepan over medium heat. Spread cashews in a single layer on a well-buttered parchment-lined cookie sheet. Let sugar mixture boil (stirring occasionally) for about 18-20 minutes, until foamy and caramel colored. Pour over cashews, chill and break into brittle.

I'm still sleepy at 7 a.m., but THAT's when I usually start baking. After coffee, of course!

While I have enjoyed seeing all our east coast and Canadian friends' snow photos, I couldn't do it...not even for a gorgeous Christmas (well, maybe in Italy...).

It has hovered in the low 60s here, and at night and early morning it is in the 40s. This is way crisp enough for me, and I love wearing my cashmere turtlenecks, holiday sweaters, and wool jackets.

At this time of the year, we seem to have brilliant blue skies with gorgeous sunsets every night! There is still some of the frozen white stuff at the top of our nearest mountains. That is close enough to snow for me!

Today we enjoyed a wonderful holiday brunch at a the beautiful Palm Springs restaurant, Le Vallauris. It was cool and sunny, so we ate on the beautiful patio.

The patio heaters kept us warm, the 35 year-old trees were lit with lovely balls of lights, and the sun peeked through the leaves. Beautiful!

We enjoyed the company of Nancy and Bill. Conversation and champagne flowed!

A favorite holiday meal!

After brunch, Nancy and Bill came over for prosecco, coffee, and holiday treats!

Well, I described the lovely setting, but lets get to the food photos of brunch!
I started with a shrimp appetizer, wrapped with a crunchy noodle-like coating.

Brad had a smoked salmon salad. Nancy had Caesar Salad in a Parmesan Bowl, and Bill had hamachi.

The entrees were all very good! Bill and I had lamb.

Brad really liked his duck with orange sauce and crispy potatoes.

Nancy was pleased with her veal scallopini with mushrooms.

Dessert? Of COURSE we had dessert. But that's another blog!

The desserts at Le Vallauris are all heavenly. We shared four selections.
Cranberry-orange tart with whipped cream and pistachios.

Pate brisee with hazelnut creme:

Buche Noel:

And MY favorite: Almond cake with ice cream

Cream Cheese Almond Cake with Almond Pastry Cream

Cake:
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese
3 c. sugar
6 eggs
3 c. flour
1t. almond extract
1 T. Amaretto
1 recipe of Almond Pastry Cream (for filling and frosting)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 3 9" cake pans. Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar, beating until fluffy. Add 2 eggs at a time, alternating with 1 cup of flour at a time. Repeat with remaining eggs and flour. Stir in almond extract and Amaretto. Divide evenly into three prepared pans. Bake 25 minutes. Cool in pans for 10-15 minutes, then remove and cool completely on wire racks.

Almond Pastry Cream

3 c. half and half
3/4 c. chopped (or sliced) toasted almonds
1 1/2 t. almond extract
2 vanilla beans, split
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. cornstarch
6 egg yolks
1 T. butter

In a saucepan, combine half and half, almonds, almond extract and insides of vanilla beans over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Reduce heat to medium-low.
In a medium bowl, combine sugar, and cornstarch. Add egg yolks, whisking until smooth. Gradually add 1/4 of hot half and half mixture to egg mixture, whisking constantly. Then add all of bowl back into saucepan of hot half and half. Continue to cook, whisking constantly until thick and beginning to boil. Remove from heat. Whisk in 1 T. of butter until melted. Put mixture in a plastic bowl, and cover with plastic wrap, pressing gently so wrap touches mixture to prevent a skin from forming. Refridgerate 2 hours, or until cool.

Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup butter
10 c. powdered sugar
2 T. Amaretto
1 1/2 cups of almond pastry cream
Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, and Amaretto. Fold in Almond Pastry Cream

Assembly:
Spread 3/4 cup of almond pastry cream between layers. Top each layer with some slice toasted almonds. Frost sides and top of cake with frosting (I reserved a little frosting before adding almond pastry cream to pipe around base of cake, as almonds would clog pastry bag tip.) Garnish with sliced toasted almonds.

I was up at 5:40, too excited to sleep, just like a little kid (always) on Christmas morning. Ego joined me at 6:00, and we quietly had coffee. Then, while Brad slept, I made an apple-cranberry crostada for breakfast.

The luscious smells of baking apples and cinnamon brought out my Santa, and we began the task of passing out an obscene number of presents for each other.

Santa was very very good to me! (And I've been NAUGHTY!)

We took breaks in the gift opening for eggnog, and for crostada.

Ego was quite happy with his stocking full of treats, toys and chews.

Buon Natale a tutti!

A tradition for 10 years now, is to have a Christmas brunch mid-day, and NO dinner.
It usually takes us most of the day to open gifts (and play with them). After opening gifts from 8-2:30, we finally made BREAKFAST!
Brad is a master of poaching eggs for the Benedict.

I did my foolproof blender hollandaise.

We couldn't even eat our hash browns, so Ego had quite a treat!

After all the holiday celebrations, we don't need another big dinner, so we only have a snack at night: cookies, or more crostada.

We watched holiday movies, took a nap, and read our new books during the lazy afternoon. Then we opened MORE gifts from Ida and Bill, my cousin Gary, Cindy and Charlotte, and neighbor, Diana! What a wonderful day!

I've always loved Christmas ornaments, and seem to get a few new ones each year to add to our collection. (hence the five trees...)

This year, Brad found this one for my shopping tree:

The Starbucks area of the big tree grew after stockings were opened.

I also got wonderful new ornaments from friends.
But my two favorite ornaments from 2007 are these beautiful Italy Santas:

Wow, Santa was very, very good to me!
He brought me lots of baking things...

and cooking things...

and coffee things (yes those are cookies from Jerry!)

There are lots more fabulous gifts that Santa (and good friends) gave me.
A beautiful Italian ceramic plate and server from Ida!

Girly Things...

Italian Things...

Look at this fabulous pillow Jan found!

And a wonderful Movie of Montisi from Gail and John!

There are more delightful gifts from friends that are not pictured. It was a really wonderful Christmas.

Brad also had quite a haul: slacks, 4 sweaters, lots of books on Italy and wine, a game, Acqua di Parma after shave and deodorant, great Italian wine, new bar toys and accessories, and 6 months of on-line Italian language study with Rosetta Stone to name a few!

Yes, I'm still baking. Our "family" arrives soon, so the eating frenzy is not QUITE over until New Years! The good news is that while I LOVE to bake, I do not have a sweet tooth. I have actually LOST over five pounds this month! (Must be all that cooking and dish washing!)

This will be served for breakfast tomorrow with berries and those do-ahead puff pastry cheesy-bacon scramble egg thingies. (I need a better name for that recipe!)

Cream Cheese Cherry-Vanilla Pound Cake (Taste of the South's: Christmas Cooing Southern Style)

1 1/2 c. butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 c. sugar
5 eggs
3 c. flour (plus 1/4 c. for cherries)
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
Two 10 oz. jars of maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
1 vanilla bean, slpit and scraped

Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour a 10-cup bundt pan. In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add sugar, beating until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a medium bowl, combine 3 c. flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until combined. Stir in scraped vanilla bean seeds.

In a small bowl combine cherries and 1/4 c. flour. Toss to coat. Stir in to cake batter. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour and 20 min., or until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10-15 min. Remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Here is an Eggnog Pound Cake (from one of Williams-Sonoma seasonal mixes).
This is for dessert with eggnog ice cream and optional caramel sauce!

OK, just one more CAKE this year...I promise! (I said nothing about any other desserts!)

The January soup diet is coming...soon!

I had to try out my new Santa cake pan.

Here he is. It was kind of fun!

We are resting up after 4 days of houseguests. Our adopted family (my friend Connie, her boyfriend, John, her dad, Frosty, and my Godson, Casey) arrived Thursday night and left Sunday.

Here I am in the most appropriate shirt with my PERFECT Godson, Casey.

We stayed up very late Thursday night, then had a big breakfast Friday morning.

We had the "Make ahead breakfast pastries" stuffed with eggs, bacon and cheese, berries and cream cheese cherry-vanilla pound cake.

For dinner, we had comfort food: Mac and cheese, orange chicken, and salad. Santa cake with eggnog ice cream completed the food fest.

After a light breakfast, we were busy in the kitchen. Brad made a wonderful pizza dough, and we had a huge white pizza with hot Italian sausage, mozarella, and fried sage leaves for lunch. It looked so good, we forgot to take a photo!

Then I taught Connie how to make the 5 Minute Internet Bread. With this crowd, that warm bread and butter was a big hit!

For dinner, we had artichoke-lemon lasagna (frozen leftovers from the ST GTG), pork roast, cippolini onions, spinach-artichoke bread pudding, and the BEST dessert of 2007!
(recipe tomorrow)

Then it was time for opening another tree full of presents! We opened a gazillion gifts, and took our annual "Bow Photo" (where everyone must wear the ribbons from all their gifts).

Brad had quite a pile...AGAIN!

Frosty liked his gift can!

Ego thought his snowman was the best!

Connie wasn't really surprised when her "Banjo" turned out to be a pizza peel!

John opened his gift can full of Starbucks stuff.

We played games again until 2:30 in the morning. I was undisputed champ, and really AM smarter than a Fifth Grader. We played "Apples to Apples" and a musical Version of "Catchphrase". We laughed so hard, we were unable to sing or talk!

Breakfast Sunday was a big hit with Shannon's recipe for Eggnog Panettone Bread Pudding! We served it with sausage and citrus salad (orange slices tossed with maple syrup and sprinkled with coconut).

One 1 1/2 pound box panettone, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes (about 8 cups)
6 large eggs
1/3 c. baking sugar
4 c. eggnog
1 T vanilla
1 t. pumpkin pie spice
pinch nutmeg
powdered sugar for garnish

1) one day before preparing the pudding, place the panettone cubes on a baking sheet and let stand at room temp. overnight, or until the cubes are dried out.
2) The next day, butter a 9 X 13-inch baking dish. Arrange the cubes in the dish.
3) In a large bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer on medium speed or a whisk until frothy. Add the baking sugar and beat for 3 mintues, or until thick and light lemon colored. Add the eggnog, reduce speed to low, and beat to combine. Add the vanilla and spices and mix.
4) Ladle the eggnog mixture over the panettone cubes, using your fingers, if necessary, to distribute the ingredients evenly. Cover with foil and refridgerate overnight.
5) The next morning remove the dish from the fridge one hour before baking and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Use a wooden spoon to push the cubes downand evenly distribute the eggnog mixture. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Open the oven door and wearing heavy oven mitts, push the panettone down with a wooden spoon. The remaining liquid will rise. Spoon it evenly over the cubes. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes more or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out barely clean. Let rest 10 minutes, then sprinkle with powdered sugar.