Who Will Share Your Christmas Meal?
7 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (31)
Related Discussions
Share your New Year's Eve Dinner and New Year's Day Meals.......
Comments (32)Angelaid, I love potato pancakes but I would say that is is my favourite version. There is no secret to making these pancakes. I've made them with mashed potatoes that I made specifically for making these pancakes and I've also made extra mashed potatoes for dinner and saved the leftovers for these pancakes. When I make them with the leftover mashed potatoes there is also butter in the mix. This is not a stiff or thick batter. I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop up the batter. Mere Blanc's Potato Pancakes From:www.thedailyspud.com with very minor changes. 2 small baking potatoes 1/4 cup milk 1/3 cup All-Purpose flour 2 eggs, separated 1-1/2 tablespoons heavy cream Pinch of salt Pepper Fresh chives (or green onions) Butter for frying Cook potatoes until tender Mash with a little milk. Let potatoes cool before adding the remaining milk, cream, flour, egg yolks, salt, pepper and chives. Beat Egg Whites until stiff. Fold into potato mixture. Do not over mix. This is a light but thick batter. Heat a griddle or skillet. ( I used a rectangle electric frying pan) . Brush with butter. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup drop batter on to griddle. Cook until pancakes are brown and then flip. Serve with sour cream. Here is a link that might be useful: Potato Pancakes...See More'color coding' the Christmas presents--share your Christmas trick
Comments (14)When my kids were very little (before being able to read), I had different paper for each child. Then my husband and I could relax on the couch and they would know which gifts they could open without us having to read the tag on each one. (Am I lazy or what? ) It also makes wrapping go much faster if you have the gifts presorted by person and don't have to change paper for each gift. In our family, Santa brings each child one big thing and the rest of the gifts are from mom and dad. I buy special paper for the gifts from Santa (usually with pictures of Santa on it). I make gift tags with "special" writing and these gifts are placed under the tree separately for the other gifts. That paper never makes another appearance. Santa also leaves each child a letter about their behavior and accomplishments for the past year. It's getting harder to pull this off each year. Happy Holidays!...See MoreChristmas Cookies - Please share your results
Comments (20)Here you go! Date Pinwheels -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Baker's Catalogue editor P.J. Hamel reports that this is her all-time favorite Christmas cookie. She writes: "My own memories include the soft brown dough, the dates bubbling on the stove, the tricky process of rolling the filling inside the dough, and the magical way the refrigerator would make the sticky mass solid and sliceable. And the taste! Waiting till just the right moment, the cookies hot out of the oven but the filling cool enough not to burn, my sister and I would greedily eat date pinwheels till Mom made us stop. No, date pinwheels aren't beautiful; in fact, they're usually kind of plain-looking, the spiral of dates often a bit out of whack. But these homely little gems strike just the right note on my Christmas cookie spread. "Remember to share this recipe with a younger friend; it's up to all of us to pass along this type of old and trusted recipe to the next generation of bakers." Dough 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks, 6 ounces) unsalted butter 2 cups (15 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar, packed 3 large eggs 4 cups (17 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda Filling* 1 3/4 cups (9 1/4 ounces) chopped dates 3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar 3/4 cup (6 ounces) water 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) finely diced pecans or walnuts *Though this filling is easy enough to make, if you want to use purchased date (or fig) filling, go ahead. You'll need about 2 cups (24 ounces) of filling. Dough: In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the flour, salt, and baking soda. Chill the dough till it's firm enough to roll out, at least 1 hour. Filling: While the dough is chilling, make the filling. In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine the dates, sugar, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and boil the dates gently for 10 to 15 minutes, or until thickened to about the consistency of very soft jam. Stir in the finely diced nuts, and set aside. Assembly: Divide the dough in half; each half will weigh about 21 ounces. Working with one half at a time, roll the dough into a 9" x 12", 1/4"-thick rectangle. Spread half the filling (about 11 ounces) over the entire surface of the dough; the filling is sticky and stiff, but if you keep wetting your fingers, you can push and spread it around without too much trouble. Roll the dough up, lengthwise, to make a log. It's somewhat delicate, but a baker's bench knife or spatula helps the job along. Wrap each log in waxed paper or plastic wrap and chill for several hours, or overnight. If you have a double baguette pan, slip the wrapped dough into the wells to help preserve their round shape. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and if it's flattened out at all roll it till it's round again; the log may lengthen a bit, and that's OK. Cut the log into 1/3" slices, and place the slices 1 1/2" apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Baking: Bake the cookies for 10 to 11 minutes, or until they're a very light brown, reversing the baking sheets (top to bottom, and front to back) midway through the baking time. Remove the cookies from the oven, and transfer them to a rack to cool. Yield: about 8 dozen pinwheels. ©2007 The King Arthur Flour Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved....See MoreShare your favorite 'kitchen-less' recipes/meals
Comments (13)Microwave pasta, courtesy of Pbrisjar... Take a large microwave-safe lidded dish and put in some water (maybe about 1/3-less than 1/2 full) and salt and / or spices if you want. Place in microwave and cook until hot (about 5 minutes for the size I cook). Take out of microwave and add pasta until the water just covers it. DO NOT overfill your container. Leave room for the bubbling/boiling action. Cook for about 18 minutes. The water should become completely absorbed by the pasta. If it's not quite cooked enough, you can add a little more water and cook for about 4-5 minutes more. Here are some useful threads: Wish you had not packed away Tips for living without a sink for a week? What/how do you eat when you have no kitchen? temporary kitchen must-haves Demo Now Days Away--Getting Cold Feet Thread: Great ideas for coping during construction (it's no longer available on GW, so I copied & pasted it from my files) Posted by imrainey (My Page) on Thu, Aug 2, 07 at 14:21 We're getting close. I've got appliances in but not their front panels and handles. Yesterday the counter went on and we could no longer wedge our fingers between the door of the dishwasher and the gasket to open it and use it. My daughter suggested large Command hooks (the kind that you pull a tab to release the adhesive completely and mess-free). We installed two hooks with a 5 lb. pull strength upside down on the unfinished front. Magic! Only about $5, we can now open it with ease and we'll be able to reuse the hooks for something else when the panels and handles go on. I'm off to get two more for the front of the fridge and freezer. Wish she had suggested it a week ago! I might even take up mountain climbing now that I've become so adept at wedging my fingertips in tiny spaces to pull. ;> Who's come up with other make-dos and work arounds? Let's get them all in one spot to make it easier for the guys just starting out. Follow-Up Postings: Posted by aliceinwonderland_id (My Page) on Thu, Aug 2, 07 at 15:00 #1: Maintain a sense of humor. #2: I had a portable dishwasher and hooked it up in the bathroom while the kitchen was a mess. The only modification I needed to make was to replace the aerator on the bathroom faucet with one that fit the dishwasher attachment. #3: Keep the margarita glasses handy. Posted by chmpgntst (My Page) on Thu, Aug 2, 07 at 15:18 Oh my gosh, the portable dishwasher idea is genius. For me, the hardest part of the reno was doing dishes in subprime environments (i.e., powder room pedestal sink). I have two small children, and for others in that situation, I recommend signing up for classes (we did soccer and tumbling), and hunting down every library and nature center in the area. I'd pack PBJ, fruit and drinks (Horizon makes shelf-stable milk boxes -- so convenient!) and we'd have picnics -- sometimes just on the front lawn. Oh, and, keep the margarita glasses handy. ;-) Posted by decodilly (My Page) on Thu, Aug 2, 07 at 16:08 Pre-made food from Trader Joes paper plates, cups and plastic utensils 2 buck chuck to offset the price spent on dinner out a coffee station in the diningroom bring in laundry to the cleaners- love their fluff and fold service...beats the Laundromat (our laundry is also non-functional) plastic margarita glasses? :) Posted by cat_mom (My Page) on Thu, Aug 2, 07 at 16:15 Wine glasses, too, and a fully stocked wine rack! Posted by beatrix_in_canada (My Page) on Thu, Aug 2, 07 at 16:40 We were able to turn the rumpus room in the basement into a very functional kitchen. It has a small bar area with a tiny sink. The sink is basically useless but it gives us water and the dishwasher could be installed!! We paid $150 to get an electrician to wire 240V for the old stove to be moved down. Very good investment! The old fridge was moved down as well. It is dark and cold (60-65 F most of the year) down there but very functional. Posted by kkcooks (My Page) on Thu, Aug 2, 07 at 17:01 Our tear-out starts next week, while we are on vacation. I (sadly) packed up the wineglasses last night. DH, however, remembered that we had some plastic ones from years ago. They will be much used in our temporary kitchen (newly-renovated screened porch). The GC is moving our fridge there--and we have lots of paper and plastic ware. I saved a few real plates in case I reach my limit with paper. I tried one dishwashing escapade in the bathroom sink--that was enough to convince me that paper is the way to go. Those of you that can use a portable DW--how lucky! As always, it is so helpful to read about others' coping strategies for this exiciting but stressful adventure....See More
7 years ago
Related Stories
HOLIDAYSHouzz Call: Share Your Favorite Christmas Tradition
Is there one thing you do, watch or eat that heralds the arrival of Christmas? Post a photo and let us know!
Full Story
CHRISTMASHouzz Readers Share Their Christmas Villages
Creative enthusiasts share charming villages in a range of styles and sizes
Full Story
HOLIDAYSHouzz Readers Share Their Christmas Trees
Enjoy these 20 decorated trees and sweet holiday memories shared by the Houzz community
Full Story
CHRISTMASHomes Around the World Wish You a Merry Christmas
Share in the Yuletide cheer of homes sporting their holiday finest, from Amsterdam to the U.S. West Coast
Full Story
HOLIDAYSHow to Host a Big Holiday Meal in Your Not-So-Big Home
Here are 7 things you can do to make your dinner party a success
Full Story
FEEL-GOOD HOMESimple Pleasures: Share Supper in the Kitchen
Gather friends but leave the stress behind with a casual kitchen meal that still feels special
Full Story
DECORATING GUIDESRoom of the Day: Breakfast Room Shares Space With Home Office
An inviting area for casual family meals with his-and-her desks offers beauty and functionality
Full Story
HOUZZ CALLWhat’s the Best Way to Spend the Week After Christmas?
Do you catch up on home projects and reading? Or do you like to get out of town? Please share what has worked for you!
Full Story
HOUZZ CALLShow Us Your Christmas Tree!
Are you proud of your holiday handiwork? Share a well-lighted picture of your decorated tree and tell us about it
Full Story
HOLIDAYSStocking Tales to Welcome Christmas Home
Readers share their stocking traditions, from the sentimental to the pragmatic
Full Story
amylou321