Christmas Dinner

I changed the pic on my blog head to something most people wouldn’t think was normal but there is a reason behind it. I’m not usually a holiday person….well, I’m not going to get into why but let’s just say I could do without Christmas for the most part. Except for Christmas dinner.

I live in the Pacific Northwest, beautiful area, and I live right on the coast, I can hear the ocean in my house and see it from my bedroom window. Living so close to the ocean has it’s advantages, like fresh live dungeness crab for Christmas eve. Served with about a pound of butter and a green salad (eaten before so there isn’t any shell pieces in it) and lots of fresh french bread. There is truly nothing better. And although we usually end up eating crab quite a few times during the winter, that’s crab season around here, Christmas eve is ALWAYS the first of the season for us. I can’t wait. So until I can furnish my own picture of our own crab dinner that one will be on my blog. I’m hoping it will inspire someone to try some fresh crab if they never have had it before….

Peanut Butter and Mint Bonbons

This is a recipe taught to me by MIL, she used to do it every year since Hubby was little (and probably before he was born) and it’s always a hit.

Peanut Butter Bonbons
1 cup peanut butter
1 8 oz package cream cheese
1 pound package powdered sugar
1 pound chocolate for dipping (you can use chips or just chocolate bars cut up)

With a mixer beat peanut butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add a little powdered sugar at a time until it gets thick, you probably won’t need the whole package. Chill in fridge for 2 hours. Take out of fridge and ball up into the size of a cherry. Set onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment and put into freezer while you melt the chocolate in a double boiler. When chocolate is melted and smooth use a toothpick and pick up the peanut butter balls and dip into the chocolate. Place back onto baking sheet and put in fridge until hard. Serve at room temp. These store really good but I doubt you will have many left over….

Mint Bonbons
16 oz cream cheese
1 pound package of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon mint extract
1 teaspoon green food coloring
1 pound chocolate for melting

With a mixer beat cream cheese until smooth and lump free. Add mint extract and green food coloring and mix, then add a little powdered sugar at a time until it gets thick, you will probably need the whole package and maybe what is left over from the other package as well. Chill in fridge for 2 hours. Take out of fridge and ball up into the size of a cherry. Set onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment and put into freezer while you melt the chocolate in a double boiler. When chocolate is melted and smooth use a toothpick and pick up the mint balls and dip into the chocolate. Place back onto baking sheet and put in fridge until hard. Serve at room temp.

Menu plan and Shopping Trip 11.30.09

I know I haven’t posted in a while and I sincerely apologize for that. Work and a million other things just seem to keep getting in the way.

Menu Plan:
I wrote one on my lunch break a couple days ago but it hasn’t worked out this week. Along with a lack of energy, lack of money (we are going though some really hard financial times right now), too many things to do, not enough sleep and working my menu plan has not been implemented. So far this week we’ve had:
Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Meatloaf and green beans
Tuesday: Turkey pot pie
Wednesday: Leftovers
And the rest of the week is a mystery though tonight I think I’m making chili mac and green salad.

My shopping trip this week looked like this:

3 12-packs of soda – $6.99 *Saved $3.78
milk – $2.99
frozen veggies – $1.80 *saved $.20
sausage – $2.24 *saved $.25
broccoli – $1.61 *saved $.54
cucumber – $.79 *saved $.20
lettuce – $1.99
red bell pepper – $1.55
tomatoes – $2.22 *saved $.89

Total – $28.62
Total with savings – $22.76
Total saved – $5.86 – 21%

Update: Cranberry Relish Recipe

Yesterday I got the actual recipe from my mother. I was pretty close but not quite when trying to recall the recipe. So I updated the post. And I made it last night. I have yet to taste it but I know it’s going to be good.

HERE is the Cranberry Relish Recipe. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Menu

Ok, so here is what our Thanksgiving menu is looking like:

smoked turkey ^
smoked oyster dressing *
apple cranberry dressing *
mushroom dressing *
cranberry relish *
mashed potatoes and gravy ^
brussel sprouts ^
green bean casserole (from scratch) *
carrot and raisin salad *
2 pumpkin pies ^

^ – Mom is making
* – I am making

Today I am going to make the cranberry relish since it needs to sit a couple days. I am also going to prep all the veggies for the dressings and have them in bags ready to cook so I will have less prep to do before dinner. Plus, I work from midnight to 9 am that day and the less I have to do the better….