Decorate Your Tree -- In Frosting!

After admiring the Christmas tree cupcakes mentioned yesterday, I came across this Christmas tree cake, decorated on the same principle, from Dessert Recipes Grill.

Wow.

(Here are the cupcakes, in case you've forgotten. They're cute, too.)

     You'll need icing decorating tips and, of all things -- ice cream cones.  Unlike the cupcakes, the cones are cut in half, then fixed to the side of the cake.

Go here for decorating instructions, and the recipe for the cake.  This video, on making the Christmas Tree cupcakes, helps too. (The link to the cupcakes recipe is here.)

Wouldn't these be pretty on your holiday dinner table?

(This also ran on the Christmas Goodies blog --

 lots of holiday cooking ideas you might enjoy.)

It's Coming Back!

    Yes, the Christmas Goodies blog is finally waking up... and starting with a batch of Thanksgiving goodies, to get you warmed up.

These will also run concurrently on our Holiday Goodies blog; until the Christmas and Hannukah recipes start. Be sure to subscribe to both!

Look for more very soon. Glad you're here.

Well, I'm not!

Goodbye For Now

Christmas Goodies is closing down for a long winter's nap...but we'll be back in the fall, with more ideas for your holiday season. (Who knows -- maybe in the summer, if we get in the Christmas spirit!)

Meanwhile, stop by our 'other' holiday goodies site for frugal recipes, and celebrating the other holidays in our year, from St. Patricks to Halloween -- with some surprises in between, like National Pie Day and Tax Day!


See you soon.

The Seven Fish Dishes Rise Again!

(This was also printed in my other blog, A Brick Looks at Life. Stop over and say hi...)

     Every Christmas Eve, we have seven fish dishes.

We're not Italian, nor Catholic, though the custom stems from Italians celebrating the Seven Sacraments of the Church. Somehow, though, we've been doing this ever since the girls were little. They've loved it so much, they've taught their partners to love it, as well.

It IS nice. The table is set with best china: dishes I inherited from my Grandma Pearl. (They must be c.1910-20.) Colored goblets for the wine (usually a nice red) and fruit juice. Specially-chosen candles, napkins and often crackers, those silly British party favors that give you a paper crown, a prize and jokes.

On to the menu -- the best part of the festivities. This year, it was:




New England-style clam chowder

Angels on Horseback  (oysters wrapped in bacon)

Swordfish Bites - with a zippy Vietnamese marinade

Shrimp Scampi Brochettes

Arctic Char...topped with mustard sauce, then lingonberry preserves. The delicate meat, much like trout, was served on a bed of sauteed bitter greens.**

Pompano... topped with a green olive salsa**

Scallops Rockefeller   (similar to Oysters Rockefeller, but with kale, instead of spinach)

Mako shark...topped with a lime and cilantro sauce.**

If you came up with 8 fish dishes, instead of 7, you're right! I am very lucky to have Daughter #1's partner enjoy this so much that he brings several dishes. (You can also enjoy his expertise -- he's the co-owner and head chef at the Interstate Bar and Grill on Santa Fe St. in downtown Denver, famous for its "scratch-made comfort food.") The starred items (**) are his. 

We were supposed to have whole lobster for Dish #9, but were just too full. That happened the next day instead, at Christmas dinner.

Then for dessert:  Sachertorte, The Mama's Christmas sugar cookies... and hot strong coffee, to help us all bear up. Whew. We'll spend hours talking, with people periodically getting up to clear table, load the dishwasher and sneak leftover bits of their favorites.

Here are some previous years' menus, including 2017 and 2016's version. My Christmas Goodies blog has several more years' choices. (In fact, it will include this post, too.) 

You might enjoy doing this next December for the people you love!