After Christmas Post

Well the Christmas 'rush' is over and all the holiday guests have departed. We had as many as 7 additional people sleeping over at one point and it lasted from the 23rd until the 28th. Below is a brief rundown of what I cooked:

Christmas Eve Dinner - what we call a 'turkey pie' - made from leftover turkey, mashed potatoes and veggies (usually peas) all put together in a 9 X 13 casserole dish and frozen along with turkey gravy (frozen separately). Top the pie with pie crust and bake.

Christmas Dinner - about 19 lbs of Standing Rib Roast (2 roasts, one done on my Big Green Egg), mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, steamed carrots (steamed with chicken stock - the BEST!!), green bean casserole, lima beans in cream sauce and beef gravy (made and saved from leftovers of countless pot roasts and frozen in little pouches then combined), a pumpkin pie, a lemon meringue pie and a chocolate 'log' made with those thin chocolate cookies and whipped cream.

Day After Christmas - I had made about two gallons of spaghetti sauce with pork ribs, meatballs and sausages - simmered for hours. Served with rosemary garlic toast.

Two days after Christmas - choice of some leftover pulled pork that I had frozen along with the remaining meatballs & sausage from the previous night in small rolls along with french fries.

Breakfasts - one morning was a big batch of soft-scrambled eggs with smoked gouda cheese (YOU GOTTA TRY THIS), another day was a big batch of French Toast with bacon and ham steaks on the side........ others I can't remember

Right now I'm making a beef stew from the left-over roast beef (gonna be AWESOME!!) but I'm ready for a REST!

I hope everyone had a great holiday and I wish you a Happy New Year!!

Same day, follow-up

Another batch of Christmas Cookies (wreaths with red cinnamon balls) finished........ pork butt is brining.......... mop sauce is on the way!

Cooking for the weekend

Am hosting an Open House this Sunday (the 12th) and I've been cookin' up a storm. Chicken Purses - check..... homemade fried ravioli - check...... Christmas cookies - check........ chocolate/orange balls - check...... spritz cookies today....... and tomorrow........TOMORROW....... I've got to smoke the pork butt (about 12 hours, I figure) for the mini pulled-pork sammies.

Still to go, the hot spinach/artichoke dip, the crackers w/homemade pimento cheese spread/a slice of smoked sausage and a half olive, the 7-layer Mex dip and the veggie plate...... WHEW!!!!!

So far snow is predicted for Sat night and Sunday..... we may end up with a LOT of left-overs!