What's everybody COOKING? and.Holiday Traditions

Yesterday, I fixed  a turkey, ham, dressing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, deviled eggs, pear salad,relish tray, spiced peaches, cookies (Holly made brownies) and rolls.  Splenda tea and lots of baked candies I've made over the last couple of weeks.  We had dinner at my Daddy's across the street.  I wanted to have everyone here at our house, but Holly said we've always had it at his house, so we ate over there, hauled all the leftovers back across the street over here and then opened our presents.  Kyle and I will open our gifts to each other in the morning with Jill.

My Daddy surprised me by giving me my Mama's wedding rings.  It's something I've wanted to wear ever since she passed away 7 years ago, but he just couldn't bear to part with them.  He had bought her a beautiful large solitaire a couple of years before her passing and they took her original engagement ring and made it into a nice diamond band to go with her new solitaire.  I am so thankful and blessed.  I have the best Daddy in the whole with world.  He has made me so happy and I am so proud to wear my Mama's rings.  I feel she would be very proud to have me wear them.  They are a perfect fit too.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas holiday.  Be blessed and please share what traditions you are doing for the holidays this year.....


Elle

The Carmichael's will be having:

Cornish Game Hens
German Cornbread Dressing
Giblet Gravy
Whole Cranberry Sauce
Fried Apples
Sweet Potatoes with Marshmellows
Stuffed Celery
Deviled Eggs
Assortment of pickles and olives
English Peas
Tamales (Texas Tradition that is not widely done elsewhere.)
Rolls

Choice of cookies, chocolate pound cake or pumpkin pie for dessert. 

Wow, sounds incredible.  What does the German Cornbread dressing consist of?

It sounds awful to most people, but it is about half yellow cornbread and white bread, then you put in onions, poultry seasoning, and about 6-8 hard boiled eggs.  Then you squi**** all up with a potatoe masher as you pour in hot chicken or turkey broth.  When you get it to the consistency that you want it, then you serve it.  It is different because you don't bake it.  Everything is already cooked, so you don't have to bake it. 

You don't see it much in Alabama; although, I would expect to in Cullman.  However, throughout Texas and the Central US...(Kansas, Nebraska, etc.) you see it alot. To do this, they have to be really old German families from the 1800s that immigrated in to the U.s.

Remember, traditionally, we serve potato salad hot...never cold.  See there are weird things that Germans do and there are weird regional things that people do....like having tamales for Christmas...it is part of the joy of living in different places and regions.  Some things I really like, and some just seem odd to me.  It doesn't mean I think it is wrong, I just think it is different from what I know about.

Happy Christmas everyone!

We (the kids, granddaughters, and I) will be having the traditional ceasar salad, lasagne and garlic bread for Christmas dinner.  They will be having Cherries in the Snow for dessert, but I will have a protein bar .... that cherry thing is wicked sugar.  :-)

This morning, I am going to church and then heading over to Georgia to get things ready as we are getting together this evening for dinner and gifts. 

I have felt scattered this Christmas season, so hope to get more rest and come back into line with what I find really important over the next weeks.  :-)

Y'all have a lovely Christmas!

Janice

Ribeye steaks grilled outside with sauteed onions, peppers and mushrooms in a garlic butter
Twice baked potatoes
Fresh steamed green beans
Turnip green casserole
homemade parker house rolls
various cakes and pecan pie
 

Simple dinner we have every Christmas,

Stand prime rib roast,
Twice baked potatoes,
A green veggie, this year green beans,
Deviled eggs,
rolls
and death by chocolate pie with home made whipped cream.

I'll have a little of every thing except the pie, I'll have protein choclolate ice cream with home made whipped cream made with truvia.