I was thinking about using Nita's prime rib, but Lee Drummond made this on her show, today, and this might be my Christmas dinner.

Steak Oscar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Four 2-inch-thick beef filet steaks (about 10 ounces each)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil

Roasted Asparagus:
1 bunch medium-sized asparagus, ends trimmed if woody
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Shrimp:
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces jumbo (16- to 20-count) shrimp, shelled and deveined
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Make tarragon hollandaise:.

For the steak: Generously salt and pepper both sides of the steaks.

Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and olive oil. When the butter melts, add the steaks to the skillet and sear on both sides until a really nice color, about 1 minute per side.

Place the skillet in the oven to finish cooking the steaks. Cook until medium rare, 4 to 5 minutes. Cover loosely in foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

For the roasted asparagus: Put the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle on some salt and pepper. Roast for 5 to 10 minutes.

For the shrimp: Melt the butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saute until pink and dark golden brown. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper. Set aside.

Place each filet steak on a plate and place three to four asparagus spears on top. Pile on some sauteed shrimp and drizzle on some hollandaise Sprinkle on the parsley and serve.

Walnutcreek, thanks for posting the Cranberry Fruit Bread recipe. I have been having nasty back pain issues and have had no desire to get into the usual Christmas baking. But today I bought all the ingredients for that recipe. I just cannot imagine the holidays without it. I will get it made somehow!

Popovers! I love popovers!
Being as I won't have anyone until later on in Christmas morning, I can see myself making this and have them when son and grandson arrive.

Popovers with Cinnamon Butter

Serves: 5

Ingredients
•1 tablespoon sugar
•1 cup flour
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•2 eggs, room temperature
•1 cup milk, room temperature
•1 tablespoon warm melted unsalted butter
•1/2 teaspoon vanilla
•Cinnamon Butter
•1/2 cup butter, softened
•2 tablespoons granulated sugar
•2 tablespoons brown sugar
•2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
•1/4 teaspoon allspice
•1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

1.Beat all the cinnamon butter ingredients together. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator. Take out 1 hour before serving.
2.For the Popovers
3.Preheat oven to 450 F. Butter the cups of a 12 cup muffin tin. Butter it heavily, bottom, sides and around the rim. Set aside.
4.In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour and salt. Set aside.
5.In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla. Add in milk and melted butter and whisk gently until combined. Gently whisk in the dry ingredients until combined and lumps are gone. Should be the consistency of pancake batter.
6.Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full. If you have any empty cups fill them halfway with water to avoid scorching the pan.
7.Place in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Do NOT open the oven door. Reduce the temperature to 350 and bake another 15-20 minutes. They should be dark brown and crusty on the outside.
8.Place muffin pan on a cooling rack, you should see steam escaping from the wells of the popovers. If you don’t, you may need to gently pierce the side of the popover with a sharp knife. Allow to cool for ten minutes then serve with cinnamon butter.

Southern Living Pecan Pie

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
4 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell
1 -1 1/4 cup pecan halves

Combine butter, sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Let cool slightly. Add eggs, vanilla and salt to mixture; mix well.

Pour filling into unbaked pastry shell and top with pecan halves.

Bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes. Serve warm or cold

If you use a ceramic pudding bowl/basin for the mold, you will more than like need the 3 hour baking/steaming time. If you use the regular steamed pudding mold for this (the mold like a Bundt pan but with straight side and bottom (or bottom could be a decorative) the steaming time will be closer to the 2 1/2 hours.

Carrot Pudding

Grease an 8 cup mold with butter and then dust it with sugar. In a bowl stir together 1 cup grated unpeeled tart green apples, 1 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts, 1 cup grated unpeeled carrots and 1 cup grated peeled potatoes. In a separate bowl stir together 3/4 cup unbleached white flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon each of ground cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, and a pinch of ground cloves. In another bowl cream together 1/2 cup butter or margarine and 1 cup sugar, then stir in by hand the vegetable mixture and then the flour and spice mixture, blending throoughly. Spoon the batter into the mold--which should be no more than 2/3 full. Ran a knife through the batter in the mold to deflate any air pockets. Then cover the mold with its lid OR with a double thickness of foil that is tied with a string. Pour 1 inch of water into the bottom of a pot not much larger than the mold and then set a trivet or inverted custard cups in the bottom to create a platform. Bring the water to a boil and set the mold on the platform. Cover the pot and steam until the center springs back slightly when touched--about 2 1/2 hours (though I usually have to cook it for 3--it might by my mold). Remove the mold from the pot and uncover. Let the pudding set 10 minutes before unmolding. Slice and serve. Can serve with one of the following sauces, I desired.

Vanilla Sauce
Combine 1 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons flour; add 2 tablespoons butter, 2 cups water and a pinch of salt. Cook until it thickens. Add 1 tablespoons vanilla last. Sever hot over pudding.

Brown Sugar Sauce
1 cup packed brown sugar
11/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup water
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, whisk brown sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat to medium, whisking constantly until sauce is smooth and has thickened slightly, 4-6 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla. Serve drizzled over pieces of carrot pudding.

Hard Sauce
Can easily half this recipe.
1 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla (or rum or brandy)

Thoroughly cream butter and sifted confectioners sugar together. Add 1-2 teaspoons vanilla (or rum or brandy) and beat well. Spread in 8x8" pan and place in refrigerator to harden. Cut into small squares to serve on warm slices of the pudding. The hard sauce could also be chilled in individual butter molds; or a bowl to be spooned onto the pudding in lumps. Note: For a dramatic entrance, just before serving, soak a few sugar cubes in almond extract. Then place them together on top the pudding, light them with a match, turn out all the lights, and deliver the flaming pudding to the.

One of my very favorite of all cookies and especially for Christmas!

Crescent cookies
1 cup butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
12 tablespoons confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon water
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups sifted flour
confectioners' sugar

Cream butter; gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Add water and blend. Add vanilla extract, flour and pecans. Blend well. Chill.

Shape dough into crescents, using about 1 tablespoons for each cookie.

Place cookies on ungreased baking sheets and bake at 325° for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and cool completely on a wire rack. Don't skimp on the cooling step.

Place additional confectioners' sugar in a bowl (start with about 1 cup), coating each crescent well. Store in an air-tight container.

Having lived along the coast for so long, I always think of oysters at holiday time and oyster stew is always on the menu. I don't have a recipe, but it's basically butter, cream, shallots (or green onions), lots of fresh oysters and their liquor, S&P and cayenne to taste. Ummumm good!

I've always served them with crunchy Trenton Crackers.

I love oysters any which way.

Enjoy oyster stew with good crackers!

Never had oyster dressing, and would love to try it some time.

Gazania, I can empathize with the back pains. I hope you get to feeling better real soon. Take care of yourself!

I love oyster dressing, too. And what about scalloped oysters! Deeeevine!

Grammas Pumpkin Bread

1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs beaten
2/3 cup water
2 cups canned pumpkin
3 1/3 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 cups sugar
cup raisins (optional)
cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 . Grease and flour 3 loaf pans; I use my little loaf pans-makes 12 at a time.
Combine oil, eggs, water and pumpkin. Sift together flour, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, soda and sugar. Make a well in center, add pumpkin mixture and blend until moist. Stir in raisins and pecans.(I used walnuts) Bake about 1 hour (or 30 minutes for little loaves)or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool on racks for 10 minutes. Slide out of pans and immediately wrap in plastic wrap and cool completely. This make the outside moist instead of dry.

Christmas Mice

24 double stuffed Oreos
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
2 tsp shortening
24 maraschino cherries with stems, well drained
24 Hershey kisses
Sliced almonds
1 tube green decorative icing gel
1 tube red gelatine gel

Twist cookies apart; use the halves with the filling. Melt chips and shortening, stir until smooth. Holding a cherry by the stem, dip into the chocolate, then press onto the bottom of a kiss. Place on a cookie sheet, with stem extending beyond the edge of the cookie. For ears, place almond slice between the cherry and the kiss. Refrigerate until set.
Use the green gel to pipe holly leaves around the white base, and the red for berries and eyes. Store in airtight containers at room temp.

http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c334/SueVA
/?action=view¤t=ChocMice.jpg

This post was edited by Sue-va on Wed, Dec 4, 13 at 10:30

Edited to mention the URL for the pic may not work. Photobucket is being contrary this morning.

Guess that didn't either.

Sue

This post was edited by Sue-va on Wed, Dec 4, 13 at 10:34

I got this recipe years ago, but I can't remember where except that it seems that it was in California in a grocery store. Please try it, you won't be sorry.

FRUITCAKE HATER'S FRUITCAKE

2 cups soft butter
2 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup honey
10 eggs
4 cups flour
2 t cinnamon
2 t baking powder
1 t ground allspice
3/4 t salt
2 1/2 lbs glazed apricots, sliced
1 lb pecan halves
1 1/2 lbs pitted dates, sliced
1 lb raisins
1 cup apricot nectar
1/2 cup light cream
1 T lemon juice
1 cup brandy
1/4 cup orange flavored liqueur

In a large bowl cream together butter, brown sugar and honey. One at a time add the eggs beating well after each addition.

Into another bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, allspice and salt. Then stir half the mixture into the sugar, egg mixture.

In remaining flour, dredge apricots, pecans, dates, and raisins.

In a bowl combine nectar, cream and lemon juice. Add this to the mixed batter, then fold in the nut, fruits and flour mixture.

Butter and flour 4 9X5 loaf pans. Evenly divide the batter between the loaf pans. Bake at 250 for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Remove from oven and pans to cool.

In a bowl combine brandy and liqueur. Sprinkle each loaf with 1/4th of this mixture and let stand 1 hour. Wrap well in foil and let season in the refrigerator for at least 1 week.

Edited to correct spelling.

This post was edited by walnutcreek on Wed, Dec 4, 13 at 12:48

I'll bet that DOES taste good! I am absolutely not a typical fruit cake fan but this one looks great. I'm not sure that that's enough liquor for four full sized loaves, though. :-) Do you think that it would be good with rum?

Rhizo, any kind of liquor should work with this. If you prefer rum, use it. Rum is great with fruits. I truly believe you could up the amount of liquor, too. Just take a peek every day and if you think it needs more add more - just don't make it too wet.

This post was edited by walnutcreek on Thu, Dec 5, 13 at 15:10

This recipe came from an old yellowed/browned card in an old recipe box I purchased at an estate sale. Can't give anyone credit but it is sure good. The person who wrote down the recipe attributed it as a "Holiday Inn Special." It is typed exactly as on the card. We sure do like it; sometimes I don't add the celery.

Molded Cranberry Ring
A Holiday Inn Special

2 cups ground fresh cranberries
2 cups sugar
2 pkgs lemon-flavored gelatin
2 cups hot water
2 cups pineapple syrup
2 cups crushed pineapple, well drained
1 cup broken walnuts
2 cups chopped celery

Combine cranberries and sugar. Dissolve gelatin in hot water; add syrup; chill until partially set. Add cranberry mixture, pineapple, walnuts, and celery. Chill until firm. Unmold on lettuce. Serves 20. For family or small party, use 1/2 recipe.

Glenda, if you are still considering Nita's roast, I posted the recipe on the other Recipes thread. I make Yorkshire pudding with it, which is just popovers cooked in the fat of the meat. Delicious!

This curd is absolutely delicious.

Lemon Curd
Source: Once Upon A Tart by Frank Mentesana

Grate the rind of one lemon and set aside. Beat 8 egg yolks in a bowl to break them up. Pour the yolks through a sieve into a heavy-bottomed pot to strain out the white membranes. Stir in 1 1/4 cups sugar and 3/4 cups lemon juice (3-4 lemons) and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden or heatproof rubber spatula in a figure-eight motion, making sure to scrape the edges of the pot.

Continue cooking until the curd thickens enough to coat the back of your spoon. Lift the spoon out of the curd and run your finger down the length of the spoon. If your finger leaves a line, the curd is thick enough. If the curd runs and covers up the line, it’s too runny and needs to cook longer.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add 10 tablespoons of unsalted butter and the lemon zest, and stir until the butter is completely melted. Pour the curd into a small bowl, and let cool to room temperature. Cover the cooled curd, and refrigerate until you’re ready to use. Lemon curd will last in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

BRANDIED CANDIED WALNUTS

From: Walnut Marketing Board

Serves 16

2 cups granulated sugar
1 pound California walnut halves
1/4 cup brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 fluid ounces orange juice

Preheat oven to 350° F.

In a bowl, toss 1 cup of sugar with remaining ingredients and mix well.

Pour mixture on to a cookie sheet, spread evenly, and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining 1 cup of sugar over the top and mix. Allow walnuts to cool before serving.