CHRISTMAS 2021

Usually in Christmas Eve I do a version of seven fishes but this year, I can’t get what I need so Steve asked for this mussel soup I make and darn if I can’t get the mussels. So….I’m friends with the owner of one of our local restaurants and asked if he could order mussels for me. He said he would so hopefully it will happen

For Christmas Day I’m maki g standing rib roast, popovers and asparagus. I finally got popovers to pop at high altitude. Finally.

Here’s the soup I made him a few years ago. I’m allergic to mussels so when he had this dish in Amsterdam, I asked him to describe it to me and the. I tried to make something close to it. After a few tries, he said it was right. Shocked.

Our Christmas dinner is fairly simple. We do a prime rib (last year was beef tenderloin as there were just four of us), mashed potatoes, this year we're doing oven roasted vegetables: carrots, parsnips & asparagus and we'll have a salad.....this year it will be a Strawberry/Spinach/Romaine/Red Onion salad. The original recipe came from a long time restaurant and was quite 'famous'. I've adjusted it to add some romaine lettuce because I like it mixed with the fresh spinach.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

1 ½ lb. Fresh baby spinach (washed & dried)
½ Pt. Strawberries, sliced
½ Small Red Onion, sliced thin into rings (allowed to sit in ice water to sweeten)

Poppy seed Dressing:
Whirl ½ c. Sugar, 1 t. Dry Mustard, ½ t. Salt and ½ c. Cider Vinegar in a blender or with hand blender. Gradually add 1 c. Vegetable Oil. When incorporated, stir in 1 T. Poppy seeds by hand.

Arrange spinach, onion slices and strawberry slices on individual plates. Drizzle lightly with Poppy seed Dressing. Serve immediately.


I'll make the mashed potatoes on Thursday or Friday and reheat them for our meal. I always add some stewed onions (chopped onions simmered in butter until mushy), cream cheese & sour cream so I can make them ahead and not have a 'left-over' potato flavor.

Dessert will be assorted cookies (probably some Lyn has purchased) and a Cherry Crostada I make every year for Bill as Christmas Day is his birthday.

The beef is so rich that we've found we don't need as many side dishes as we used to....

Merry Christmas to all!

My Christmas Eve got cancelled early this afternoon. I was going over to my Cousins. It turned out that his early 20's year old daughter, who lives at home---testing positive for Covid....

They had Covid earlier in the year!!

She has mild symptoms.. glad they checked her out. and cancelled..

Tomorrow:
The other side of the family~~ another cousin.
I am not so worried about Covid.. concerned... but... My cousins Wife is a retired nurse.
Dinner is at their son's home. He is a regional sales person for a really big air purifier company. The type Dentists use. They have a contract with the Dental Society.

My cousin's son has a very big air purifier in the living area---open concept design. That was before Covid. I can only imagine what they have now..

Dinner is: Rib Roast, popovers, gravy, not sure what veggies.. last time there were roasted brussel sprouts with bacon and freshly grated Parmesan cheese... they were delicious..

I think mashed potatoes; for the gravy...

And COOKIES>.. tons of cookies...

Really too much food.

Your meal looks lovely, Imelda. I'll bet there was nothing but compliments and two grateful people who love every meal you make!

I love that you make popovers but neither know what they are or how they taste but make them (and they look good to me!) for the ones you care for. That's the true meaning of Christmas!