ain’t it, though? We actually had to call the A/C repair guy (first time ever in December!!) as the thermostat died…
while your story reads a little like a punch line, I suppose if it took two faiths working together to get you, your wife, AND your daughter all home and in good health, it’s kind of the whole meaning of the season…no matter what name you call it.
And here we sit with a couple of feet of fresh powder! A White Christmas for us. Scoobie, glad to know that you brought everyone home all those years ago 
xo,c
Trying to approximate a Greek vegetable stew called Tsigareli which has a consistency somewhat like ratatouille. I had it with wild sea bass encrusted w/pistachios at Pylos restaurant in NYC. I made mine with shrimp. My ingredients included swiss chard, leek, onion, tomatoes, celery, tarragon & hot paprika.
Last night was our annual Christmas Eve Eve celebration, so I made ravioli with a simple filling of ricotta, a touch of garlic, eggs and parm in egg pasta. It’s such a classic dish, but a family favorite topped with a simple marinara and some more parm.
Now that we are all adults, we no longer exchange actual presents and instead head into Boston for a meal together. It’s so nice to see the lights around Boston Common (and Harvard Square on our way to Boston. ) Usually we are running from a parking spot to our restaurant reservation, but this year we casually strolled over to our favorite Xmas Eve spot located along the Common and Public garden. The restaurant had been closed the past couple of holidays, but decided to remain open again this year. The entire day was fantastic and a bit surreal as temps headed into the lower 70’s by noontime, and our meal was just as good as anticipated.
The cherry blossoms and other flowers were unprecedented and lovely.This doesn’t include having coffee and pastry on Newbury St. late morning, and strolling Charles St. shops after that. All in all, an amazing day.
We were to be comped at a local casino’s steak and lobster restaurant but it’s been so snowy today we pushed it out to tomorrow. So tonight was pork “rib tips” with roasted broccoli and TJs Harvest Grains made with chicken stock and shallots. The grains and the veg got some grated Parm Easy and good.
WFXL… lamb shish kebabs, rice pilaf, tzatziki, and other sundry things coming up soon.
Here’s some meat on platter to tide you over 
It’s unprecedented mild weather here (12C!). Traditional seasonal foods must be served regardless.
The pig’s shoulder was massive. I have had it a few times but never this huge. The rind was my favourite part as always. Here is some info about the shoulder dish.
Crunchy rind
No wonder it was massive… must be the entire scapula.
At the wine maker’s shop visit the other day
We had a pig knuckle in Prague that was really swoon worthy
It was a very nice and relaxing day spent with Mom. Windows were wide open in her apt., as the oven heated up her house. Plus having 65° weather warrants throwing open the windows!
Dinner was exactly what it was last year - beef tenderloin with cognac cream sauce, roasted baby potatoes, and green beans with toasted slivered almonds (which I forgot to sprinkle on before the picture).
Lemon mousse tartlets for dessert, and I had a very nice 2011 French Coté du Rhone for my libation, a gift from my boss. The local pig and goose were stylishly decked out in their holiday outfits.
Yesterday’s lunch at the SiL’s was the traditional turkey meal. We were stuffed. Dinner for me was a couple of slices of ham and a bit of cheese. Herself dined on Rice Krispies.
Tonight, it’s turkey again. We’re roasting a couple of breasts, that’ll provide lots of leftovers. There’ll be potato dauphinoise. And Parmesan crusted baked parsnips (a Delia Smith recipe from her Christmas book). WFD regulars from the “old place” may recall I have an antipathy to Brussels sprouts - the vile farty veggie. Well, it’s going to get yet another chance. Finely shredded in the processor and then fried/steamed with bacon and sage (based loosley on a Jamie Oliver recipe).
Depending on appetite, there may be a light starter - just smoked salmon and some thinly sliced wholemeal bread.
Then on to a cheese course. We’ve several in the fridge - Wookey Hole cheddar, Bourne’s Cheshire, Leagrams “Tasty” Lancashire (they’d run out of the spectacular “Bob’s Knob” - stop sniggering at the back, children), Blackstick’s Blue and Sparkenhoe Red Leicester. Alongside, some celery and homemade apple & walnut chutney (2013 vintage)
And, for dessert, trifle. There are many posh recipes for trifle. We make it as my Mum made it - using tinned peaches, strawberry jelly and Birds custard. Posh, it ain’t.
Enforced correction (due to lack of Parmesan). They’ll now be roasted till just about done then tossed in a maple syrup and grain mustard mix - another recipe from St Delia.
Traditional Boxing Day meal here tonight. Cold meat (the chicken/pheasant terrine I make as a main course for Christmas dinner) with bubble and squeak (all the leftover veggies fried over till golden brown). We had some lovely Malbec yesterday and that will go fine with tonight’s meal. Warmed Christmas pudding with cream to follow.
It’s ridiculously warm here but really wet. Not at all what I hope for at Christmas.
Is this the Jamie recipe for sprouts on this year’s Christmas special? We’re certainly going to have this before the holiday is out!
Yep. Although I may cut down or omit the Worcestershire sauce as I’m not convinced by it.
That said, it wasnt the original idea. In our notes which we made a couple of weeks back, it’s down as a James Martin recipe but I simply can’t find one by him now where the sprouts are shredded. I can’t have made a mistake about Oliver as his programme was only on Xmas Eve - unless he’s done something similar in a previous Xmas programme.
After so much meat yesterday we just wanted to take it easy today with a simple meal. Sausages were smoked and very garlicky. Wine came from the maker’s basement “shop”.
I love that you consider having sausages a break from meat… 
The lamb shish kebabs were probably some of the best my man’s ever made; my SIL’s pilaf was lovely as ever, and there was also some tasty tabbouleh and really good hummus. My FIL was pretty damn happy we made the trip up, if only for a xmas lunch, so all in all I’d say the visit was worth it – as short as it was & the amount of driving involved (never mind the bottle of Glenmorangie I polished off with my BIL on xmas eve 
)
We got back home just around 9 pm – enough time to take a quick shower and head over to the CBDTR for a Milano and Martinez, respectively, as well as their incredibly delicious hamachi cheek and a spicy girl roll. Was gonna check in on my keyboarder who had a solo late night gig at one of the downtown bars, but we just didn’t have the energy… and so, home we went and called it a night on the early side.
As for today, leftovers are WFD: a few chunks of lamb that we managed to rescue from xmas lunch, some pilaf, a little hummus. To round it all out, I’ll make a Greek village salad with (hopefully decent) campari tomatoes – still got some of that feta to use up. Might also have some TJ’s dolma on the side if the pilaf isn’t enough carbs for us.
Dessert will be a special chocolate treat I brought home from SF, courtesy of a former CH and buddy of mine — should be a fun eve
Happy Boxing day. Don’t knock each other out, y’all.
Lol Gio! I am sure you don’t come close I was in her crosshairs this year too. In a Christmas Miracle sis decided to stay home. Instead we had surprise dinner guests of my two adorable college age cousins so talk was of poetry and poletics with wide eyed wonder and idealism. They are so cute and such good kids it was nice to see them outside of the big crazy whole family.
Christmas eve dinner was boeuf bourguignon over egg noodles, with a spinach salad, last night cranberry pork tenderloin, baked yam and napa cabbage slaw. Tonight a big bowl of shrimp pho and pickled veg. There was lots of wine. I wish you eastcoasters would share your lovely weather with me. It has been cold and wet here.
